A systematic review of randomized controlled trials testing the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for gastrointestinal cancers.

introductionPsychological morbidity in those diagnosed with cancer has been shown to result in poorer quality of life and increase the risk of mortality. As a result, researchers have designed and tested psychosocial interventions to improve quality of life and survival of patients diagnosed with cancer.

methodsA systematic review of the literature was performed to describe the psychosocial interventions that have been tested in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Databases such as MEDLINE, PsychINFO, PubMed, MedLine, and Cochrane Reviews were searched. The searches were inclusive of studies published in English between 1966 and October 2013. Raters conducted full-text review of the resulting articles for the following eligibility criteria: (1) participants were 18 years or older, (2) the majority of patients in the sample were diagnosed with a gastrointestinal cancer, (3) the trial was testing a psychosocial intervention, and (4) random assignment to one or more interventions versus a usual care, placebo, attention control, or waiting-list control condition.

resultsThe interventions that were eligible for this review included psychosocial or behavioral intervention (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, problem solving, educational, and collaborative care), physical activity, and/or psychopharmacologic treatment (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). Interventions that included dietary changes were not included in the present review. Study quality was also assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) system. The results of the review resulted in a finding of eight studies to have been conducted, testing psychosocial interventions, in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Findings of these studies suggested that the interventions were effective in reducing psychological and physical symptoms associated with the cancer, improved quality of life, and reduced immune system dysregulation, and one study demonstrated an improvement in survival. Two studies reported no benefit from psychosocial intervention when compared with a control group. The quality of the studies varied greatly, but reporting of the details of the trials, and the methodological rigor, improved over time.

conclusionFurther research is warranted to design and test interventions that may be effective in patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancers.