Psycho-oncology is evolving in line with oncology progress and increasing complexity, but also with change in cancer care organization. Alongside the more traditional psycho-oncological interventions, such as the support or verbal psychotherapy of various inspirations (psychodynamic, integrative, systemic, existential) and body-mediated approaches, that allow the patient to be accompanied throughout his/her cancer care trajectory, psycho-oncology is now benefiting from the development of more structured interventions, often brief and targeted at a specific situation or symptom. This article reviews three of these new psychotherapeutic approaches, which are largely developed in the Anglo-Saxon world: the management of fear of recurrence by CBT third wave strategies, ACT therapy or, more recently, EMDR to answer to psychotraumatic situations. We describe here the principles, the main indications in oncology patients and the expected clinical benefits. It also presents tools such as Questionnaire Prompt Lists for optimizing the communication between patients and health professionals, which constitute a psychotherapeutic intervention by itself.
Neoplasms , Psycho-Oncology , Female , Humans , Male , Medical Oncology , Neoplasms/therapy , Psychotherapy , Surveys and Questionnaires
Supporting a cancer patient up until the end of life and then mourning the loss represents a long, and emotionally marking period that is potentially problematic for health professionals. In addition to individual and environmental characteristics-and related to death or to the relationship prior to death-the communication established between the doctor, patient, family members and other health professionals in the team, seems to determine how an individual experiences the loss and mourning process. Acknowledging the suffering of the bereavement without always being able to respond is neither easy nor trivial, requiring modified/appropriate knowledge and skills. The opportunity to share their experiences within a healthcare team and with external health care professionals guarantees an ethical approach, professional enrichment and limits the risk of burnouts. In order to offer guidance and potential solutions, the references specific to cancerology are regularly updated in France by the AFSOS ("French Association of Supportive Cancer Care"). This multidisciplinary effort, including professionals from different professional societies (AFSOS, SFFPO, SFAP) and coordinated by the cancerology network of Nouvelle Aquitaine (Onco-Nouvelle-Aquitaine), has resulted in the recent publication of two complementary resources that address bereavement. The first report provides theoretical guidelines, while the second proposes a more clinical approach on how to support a mourning individual. Thus, with regards to the clinical situation and contextualization of the aforementioned references, this article considers the dimensions of separation, bereavement, and supportive care and further discusses tools to help health professionals protect themselves when affronting these situations.
Bereavement , Neoplasms , Communication , Death , Family , Grief , Humans , Neoplasms/therapy
OBJECTIVES: In managing patients with cancer in the COVID-19 era, clinical oncologists and palliative care practitioners had to face new, disrupting and complex medical situations, challenging the quality of the shared decision-making process. During the first lockdown in France, we developed an onco-palliative ethics meeting to enhance the quality of the decision-making process for patients with advanced cancer treated for COVID-19. METHODS: A least one of the institutional ethics committee members was present along with oncologists, palliative care teams, psycho-oncologists, radiologists and intensive care specialists. Specific medical parameters were systematically collected to form a standardised framework for the discussions. RESULTS: The main raised issues were the definition of new criteria for the implementation of invasive resuscitation techniques, optimal ways to adapt or delay anticancer treatment and best procedures to address terminal respiratory failure and end-of-life care. The main clinical and ethical guidelines that emerged during these debates are presented. The palliative care team played a major role in assessing and reporting patients' awareness of cancer-related prognosis and their wishes concerning invasive therapies or transfer to intensive care units, enabling an individualised benefit-risk balance assessment. The ethics committee members ensured continuous monitoring during the discussions. Their function was to recall the main ethical principles including dignity, which is conferred on people when there are treated as having equal status. CONCLUSIONS: The onco-palliative ethics meeting provided a powerful avenue for improvement of collegiality and reinforcement of teamwork, which could be a major protection against burnout for healthcare professionals facing an epidemic onslaught.
INTRODUCTION: Depression symptoms, frequently diagnosed in older patients with cancer, impacts on oncological treatment feasibility. The Francophone Society of Geriatric Oncology (SOFOG) has initiated a systematic review on depression treatment in older patients with cancer, to advocate guidelines. DATA SOURCES: Medline via PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL. METHODS: We included randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, reviews and meta-analysis, retrospective and prospective cohort studies, qualitative studies, and guidelines published between January 2013 and December 2018 that involved depression with cancer in which the entire sample or a sub-group aged 65 and above. Efficacy and tolerance of depression treatment were examined, as a primary or secondary outcome, among articles published in French or English. RESULTS: Of 3171 references, only seven studies met our eligibility criteria. This systematic review reveals a lack of evidence-based knowledge in this field, preventing from making any recommendations on drug and non-drug therapies. It has highlighted the need for multidisciplinary collaboration with the French and Francophone Society of Psycho-Oncology. CONCLUSION: In clinical practice, we advise health professionals to use the screening process not as a result but rather as an opportunity to engage with the patient and also to question the need for antidepressants and non-drug therapies.
Depression/etiology , Depression/therapy , Depressive Disorder, Major/etiology , Depressive Disorder, Major/therapy , Neoplasms/psychology , Age Factors , Aged , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Depression/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Humans , Meta-Analysis as Topic , Prospective Studies , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Retrospective Studies
Confronted with a patient with a personality disorder, the oncologist must recognize it and adapt his treatment accordingly. Some pathological character types require interpersonal adjustments to ensure a good understanding of the cancer disease and also to obtain the best compliance with supportive care. Given the fact that specific pharmacological treatment does not exist, collaboration between oncologists and the psycho-oncology team is paramount. The interaction between the somatic disease and the psychiatric disorder demand collaboration among caregivers sharing explanations and recommendations. Clinical examples will illustrate each personality disorder and will focus on the several problems raised by the psychiatric disorder. Treatment principles will be addressed in a second section.
Neoplasms/psychology , Personality Disorders/diagnosis , Personality Disorders/therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Personality Disorders/classification , Psychotherapy/methods
