More work needed to implement evidence base in psychooncology in cancer care
An integrated approach to cancer care needs to be developed in Australia that incorporates psychosocial and biological interventions, according to an article published in a Medical Journal of Australia supplement.
The Anxiety, Depression and Cancer supplement is the product of a partnership between beyondblue and the Cancer Council Australia.
Professor David Clarke, of the School of Psychology and Psychiatry at Monash University, Melbourne, and Research Advisor at beyondblue, said that despite the development of an evidence base in the field of psychooncology in the past few decades, clinical practice lagged behind evidence and standards of best practice.
“Cancer, more than any other disease, confronts us all with serious existential issues,” Professor Clarke said.
“It challenges the sense of control we might think we have over our lives, and raises the possibility of the purposelessness and futility of life, as well as raising questions about what is a good life and a good death.
“There is evidence for the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in relieving distress and assisting in psychosocial adjustment for people in the experience of cancer.
“However, these interventions are not routinely offered by cancer services to patients and their families.
“To correct this, we need champions in the field talking about the issue; consumers and carers participating in the research and sharing their experiences; and leading practice-policymakers and health providers with the moral courage to fully implement ‘evidence-based’ and humane care beyond the trial phase.”
Professor Clarke said the importance of psychosocial interventions is not diminished by advances in medical science, such as genetic screening, which produced groups of people who, while well, lived with the anxiety of developing cancer at any time in their life.
“beyondblue and Cancer Council Australia are committed to working together towards seeing the development of an integrated approach to cancer care, incorporating the psychosocial and biological,” he said.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT: Prof David Clarke 0404 857 249