Psychosocial Cancer Care Has Direct Ties to QOL, Emotional Well-Being

The accessibility of psychosocial care correlates directly with the emotional well-being, quality of life, and treatment adherence of patients as they go through their cancer treatment, according to Cristiane Decat Bergerot, PhD, MS.

After the announcement of the first ever World Psycho-Oncology Day, CancerNetwork® spoke with Bergerot about the growing field of psycho-oncology and its importance in the current landscape of cancer care. As she said, a cancer diagnosis can lead to psychological distress and uncertainty, but proper care such as emotional support and counseling can mitigate those effects.

Over the years, the field has become more prominent and is now acknowledged by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), among other major organizations in oncology.

Bergerot is a psychologist, the head of supportive care at Grupo Oncoclínicas in Brazil, and a member of the International Psycho-Oncology Society.

Transcript:

Accessible psychosocial care is essential in cancer treatment because it directly impacts a patient’s emotional well-being, treatment adherence, and overall quality of life. We know that a cancer diagnosis brings significant psychological distress and uncertainty, which can affect decision-making and coping mechanisms. When psychosocial care is integrated into cancer care, patients receive the emotional support, counseling, and coping strategies needed to navigate treatment more effectively.

The growing body of research on psycho-oncology has significantly influenced clinical guidelines, treatment protocols, and research priorities in cancer care. We are now seeing many national [and] international oncology organizations, including ASCO and ESMO, emphasize the importance of integrating psychosocial care into standard cancer treatment. This has led to the inclusion of distress screenings in routine clinical assessments and recommendations for early palliative care involvement. Additionally, research on quality of life and patient-reported outcomes has shaped the development of more patient-centered treatment plans, ensuring that interventions address not just survival but also emotional and psychological well-being. As a result, cancer care is becoming increasingly multidisciplinary with psychosocial factors [and is] considered an [important] component of comprehensive treatment.

Reference

World Psycho-Oncology Day (WPOD). IPOS. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/43c9rr2c