Cancer treatment and follow-up are not sprints, usually marathons. For patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals, it can be taxed physically and psychologically. Psychological oncology is nurturing patients and their families as a whole and ensuring that all concerns are heard in a compassionate and patient-centered approach
The term psychological tumor emphasizes the strong connection between the brain (mind/emotion) and the body. The branch acknowledges that cancer diagnosis affects not only the body, but also the mind and soul of the patient, and has profound impacts on the family. In this discipline, psychological, social, economic and behavioral challenges faced by patients and their families are addressed. This support is as essential as the health care itself. “Psychological oncology is the only branch to treat patients and families’ psychological, emotional and mental health,” said Kalpana Balakrishnan, CEO and medical director of the Adyar Cancer Institute (WIA).
The evolution of psychological oncology
Until 20 years oldTh In the century, the main efforts of oncology discipline were to save human life and increase the number of survival. However, the quality of life aspectOutstanding gained when cancer survivors gained attention to their sense of helplessness and lack of ability to restore new normality. This inspired the campaign to care for cancer patients and their families in the 1970s. Psychological oncology targets various disorders in cancer care; from diagnosis acceptance, treatment adherence, fear of recurrence, body image problems, psychosocial distress (including depression and anxiety), fatigue, troubles in restoring work or education, helping tobacco tobacco to quit smoking, concerns in reciprocity and post-marital relationships, and feelings during treatment and sexually related. Other major issues that arise are the extended treatment time of cancer care and financial toxicity (out of pay).
Today, distress is considered the sixth vital sign, and Psychological Oncology is an established subspecialty of oncology that provides demand-based, customized psychosocial psychosocial interventions. Specific psychological interventions like psycho-education, cognitive therapies, systematic desensitisation, autogenic and progressive muscle relaxations, and need-based eclectic approaches are offered by trained professionals.Mahalakshmi R. Shetty, ENT specialist, adds that psycho-oncology treatment also reinforces basic self-care: drinking adequate water, adherence to good sleep and circadian rhythms, ensuring diet is nutritious and keeps your body active. Active coping mechanisms are also encouraged in the form of gardening, art therapy, music therapy, etc. to help patients with disasters and provide comfort to them.
In addition to individual therapies, psycho-oncologists also provide specialized support group therapies.
“We are pioneers in the support groups for patients, smile,” said Sundaramoorthy Chidambaram, assistant professor of psychology oncology. The Pediatric Cancer Support Group and the Muthulakshmi Reddy Women’s Cancer Support Group were founded twenty years ago. “In addition, other focused groups of ostomy patients without natural voice boxes, laryngeal cancer survivors (ladderectomy patients), and those receiving chemoradiotherapy and providing tobacco-free association meetings for tobacco users.
When psychological oncology becomes crucial
From diagnosis to survival or lifelong stages, any stage during cancer continuity can be troubled. Psychological oncologists are crucial when revealing cancer diagnosis (breaking the news). “Psychological oncology professionals play a key role in dealing with expected fears, in the nature of treatments and side effects. This enables patients to make informed, treatment-related decisions and face their treatment with mental strength,” said Revathy Sudhakar, assistant professor of psychologics.
Patients are provided with technical guidance on relaxation to cope with anxiety and fear before and after the operation. The effect of cortisol (our stress hormone) on tumor growth has been well established. Pay attention to thoughts and reduce stress symptoms are both tangible and invisible, so they should not be ignored. Arvind Krishnamurthy, head of surgical oncology, added: “When cancer surgery and treatment are highly intense, preparing patients becomes very challenging. Psychological oncologists help us have a big deal in consulting patient treatment, more specifically on body images, changing surgical procedures such as mastectomy, mastectomy, arrangement and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck and neck, added Vidhya Gopalakrishnan, psycho-oncologist, added: “People also experience significant psychosocial distress, and they also need professional psychosocial assistance. This becomes important because they often limit themselves to emotional breakdowns in front of their patients.”
Psychologist Divya Rajprabhakar pointed out that the role of psychological oncology actually starts from the perspective of preventing cancer. Professionals connect with the community to screen and identify tobacco users and provide structured interventions to help them disrupt unhealthy habits. The study reported that only 3% of tobacco users were able to quit smoking successfully on their own. Professional guidance from the ongoing efforts of the Cancer Institute (WIA) Tobacco Smoking Quit Clinic has helped many people desire and maintain their “exit” identities. Psychologist Deepika Sankar added: “While the diagnosis of cancer instills a sense of fear and acts as a promoter of smoking cessation, and most people quit immediately, some still have to struggle and require professional support.”
Discipline and future growth
Psychological oncology is a powerful emerging discipline that changes lifestyles and provides psychological interventions to improve coping between patients and caregivers. Psychological Integration Doctor Divya Rajkumar highlights that the discipline has been widely developed and has now adopted specialized sub-subject repertoire including pediatric psychology, survivor psychology internet, adolescent and young adults (AYA) psychology, paliatiate and palliative and marital life psychology. “Psychological oncology services from diagnosis to treatment completion and pediatric bereavement are very helpful and are now considered an integral part of primary pediatric cancer care,” said Venkatraman Radhakrishnan, head of medical oncology.
So far, the country has more than 100 trained psychological oncology professionals, most of whom have been trained at the Cancer Institute (WIA), the first in the country to launch the MPHIL Psychological Oncology Program. To provide comprehensive cancer care to each patient and his family, it is crucial that we routinely monitor and evaluate the psychosocial distress and burden of patients and their caregivers.
Cancer treatment and follow-up are not sprints, usually marathons. For patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals, it can be taxed physically and psychologically. Psychosocial problems in cancer care are unique to the nature of disease and treatment. There is a strong need to add specialized training for our country’s psychological oncologists, counselors and social workers. Psychological oncology is about nurturing the entire person and ensuring patient-centered cancer care.
(Surendran Veeraiah, Professor and Director of Psychological Oncology and RCTC, WIA Cancer Institute. Email: v.surendran@cancerinstitutewia.org)
publishing – May 1, 2025 11:35 pm isst
