What is Psycho-Oncology (Cancer Psychology)? What is Its Role in Cancer Treatment?
Psycho-oncology is a medical field that has emerged to serve patients affected by cancer and their loved ones. This area of cancer expertise addresses various psychological, behavioral, emotional, and social issues. Cancer can lead to significant distress in those affected (whether patients or their relatives). The type of distress varies according to each individual’s and family’s experience. Factors such as the type of cancer, the stage of the patient’s life, and how they use coping mechanisms can influence this distress.
In general, cancer has two psychological dimensions: the first includes the emotional responses of patients and their families to cancer. The second consists of emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial challenges that affect living with cancer. Cancer psychology is the area of expertise that addresses all these dimensions and helps patients and their families cope with the issues at hand. This field is referred to by several names: psychosocial oncology, psycho-oncology, or cancer psychology. Sometimes it is also known as supportive care services. Regardless of the name, psycho-oncology is the medical field that addresses emotional and psychosocial concerns related to cancer.
What is Psycho-Oncology (Cancer Psychology)?
Cancer psychology is a multidisciplinary field focused on improving the psychological and mental health of individuals affected by cancer, their families, and even caregivers. Cancer has the potential to significantly impact mental health, physical health, and socioeconomic status. Not only cancer but also cancer treatments are similar in this regard. Most patients utilize various resources, primarily their psychological resources, to cope with this situation. Healthcare providers, family, friends, and cancer-related communities are other support systems available to the patient.
Psycho-oncology is an interdisciplinary field where the physical, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of the cancer experience intersect for both patients and caregivers. Researchers and practitioners in this field are concerned with patients’ experiences related to cancer more comprehensively than just cancer treatment. The experiences of patients on the cancer trajectory, including during diagnosis and treatment, transitioning to survival after cancer treatment, or approaching the end of life, fall within the scope of cancer psychology.
Psycho-oncology does not only work on individual aspects such as psychological responses to the cancer experience and coping behaviors. Cancer psychology also deals with health behaviors and preventive medicine, including topics such as the patient’s adherence to treatment. Additionally, social factors related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including the patient’s communication with healthcare providers or loved ones, are also subjects of study in this field.
Moreover, the number of studies on the impact of patients’ psychology and their relationships with their environment on disease-related processes has significantly increased in recent years. Most studies attempt to explain the interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors in coping with cancer. Therefore, a biopsychosocial approach is adopted. This way, the effect of patients’ psychological and social well-being on their biology has also become one of the discussed topics. The inclusion of cancer psychology in cancer treatment processes is quite important in this regard. It plays a significant role in the patient’s recovery.
What is the Role and Importance of Psycho-Oncology in Cancer Treatment?
Providing timely and appropriate psychological support to patients affected by cancer and their families falls within the field of psychosocial oncology. Professionals working in this area are concerned with patients’ cancer experiences during diagnosis and treatment, transitioning to survival, or as they approach the end of life, meaning throughout the cancer journey. Therefore, psycho-oncology always plays a valuable role throughout the cancer process. It is crucial not only for the patient but also for the impact of cancer on the patient’s relatives and family.
Cancer is not just a medical illness. It can have significant psychological and social consequences for the patient, as well as for both the family and the patient’s loved ones. Today, quality cancer care includes the integration of these psychosocial elements into routine cancer treatment. It is essential to include cancer psychology in treatment to address the damage that cancer can cause in every area.
During the cancer treatment process, cancer patients face many challenges. These challenges can be related to the physical effects of cancer or cancer treatment, as well as psychological issues. The types of challenges faced by cancer patients can be listed as follows:
- Difficulties in treatment adherence,
- Anxiety and phobias related to the illness,
- Depression,
- Difficulties in accepting the diagnosis,
- Indecisions regarding cancer treatment options,
- Fear of cancer recurrence after the recovery process,
- Problems in personal relationships,
- Anxieties experienced by children with cancer,
- Psychosexual (mental and sexual) issues,
- Body image issues,
- Cognitive (consciousness-related) disorders,
- Organic brain syndromes (e.g., delirium),
- Grief support for family members and caregivers…
The field of cancer psychology is quite effective in coping with these challenges. There are many topics where professionals working in this field can assist patients. The topics of interest for professionals in the field of cancer psychology can be listed as follows:
- Proposing arrangements to prevent cancer recurrences within the scope of psychological factors affecting health behaviors and educational programs,
- Developing clearly defined referral pathways between hospitals and communities for psychosocial difficulties in coping with cancer,
- Improving quality of life initiatives,
- Improving access to psychotherapy and psychological counseling services at every point of the cancer process for patients to address their mental health,
- Helping patients manage their illnesses and the consequences of their illnesses independently during the cancer process,
- Providing psychological support to families of cancer patients, and
- Training healthcare workers in oncology departments to be better equipped to manage the psychological distress of cancer patients and their families.
Cancer diseases and treatments are a process that is quite difficult to cope with for patients and their loved ones in many aspects. In this sense, it is expected that affected individuals will need help and support. If you and your loved ones need support related to cancer, you may consider consulting your specialist doctor for information on the subject.
What Are the Types of Psycho-Oncology?
Psychosocial oncology is a field that includes healthcare professionals from various backgrounds. Social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and nurses make up part of the workforce in this field. Regardless of their educational background, all psychosocial oncology workers are trained professionals who have completed their education to address the issues faced by cancer patients and their relatives.
Patients who struggle with living with cancer, coping with cancer treatment, or life after cancer treatment receive support from the field of cancer psychology. For example;
- Patients who have felt more depressed or anxious since being diagnosed with cancer,
- Patients with a psychiatric diagnosis that may worsen due to cancer or cancer treatment,
- Patients who have previously undergone treatment for major depression and have not benefited from their antidepressants since starting cancer treatment,
- Patients whose mood or behavior has changed in a way that concerns their treating physician or who are worried about this change,
- Patients and their relatives who need social support to manage the complex life conditions that come with cancer or to make significant decisions can benefit from the psycho-oncology field.
For this field, psycho-oncology, oncological psychology, psychosocial oncology, and cancer psychology are used. All healthcare professionals with different training backgrounds are concerned with the psychological and sociological aspects of issues related to the cancer process.
What Are the Psychological Responses in Cancer Patients?
Cancer and cancer treatments lead to a wide range of physical problems. In addition to these problems, cancer can sometimes lead to psychosocial issues related to these problems or solely associated with receiving a diagnosis. These issues include;
- Physical pain,
- Fatigue,
- Anxiety about loss of autonomy,
- Depression, and
- Struggles in personal relationships, which deeply affect the patient’s quality of life.
Therefore, it is crucial to implement psychosocial interventions to treat and support cancer patients and cancer survivors. If you or your loved ones are suffering from psychosocial distress related to cancer, you can seek information by consulting the nearest healthcare institution.
What Services Are Provided in the Psycho-Oncology Department?
A psycho-oncology worker is trained to intervene in psychosocial issues that may arise from the moment of cancer diagnosis to treatment and beyond. They focus on understanding the needs of patients as well as the psychosocial aspects of caregivers, helping individuals and families learn coping methods for loss. Additionally;
- Coping with cancer diagnosis and treatment,
- Adapting to the situation,
- Addressing the patient’s body image issues,
- Organizing the patient’s work, home, and family life,
- Coping with feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression,
- Coping with the side effects of treatment,
- Providing emotional support for families and loved ones, and similar topics are also addressed by the psychosocial oncology department.
You, your family, or someone close to you may be suffering from cancer. Receiving a cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatment can be a long and exhausting process. It is expected to need support in this situation. If you or a loved one is experiencing issues related to the cancer process, you may consider seeking help from the relevant departments of healthcare institutions.
