Literature on interventions to address cancer patients' psychosocial needs: What does it tell us?

Patients with cancer experience a number of difficulties coping with their disease and adapting to the psychosocial changes that follow diagnosis and treatment. These difficulties argue for the need for psychosocial interventions to help patients cope with cancer. However, many of the intervention studies published so far have been criticized for methodological reasons. Such criticisms, although important, have prevented the implementation of psychosocial interventions in cancer settings, have led to neglect of patients' needs, and have reduced the potential effects of medical treatments on patients' quality of life. This article describes the practical benefits of 33 studies evaluating the effects of psychosocial interventions on patients' adjustment to cancer. The studies were classified according to methodology. The authors offer suggestions regarding methodological and clinical factors to consider when evaluating future psychosocial interventions for improving patients' adjustment and quality of life.