Cancer treatment and monitoring is not a sprint, usually a marathon; It can be physically and psychologically taxation for patients, carers and healthcare workers. Psycho-oncology raises the patient and their family holistically and ensures that all concerns are heard in a compassionate and patient-oriented approach
The word psycho-oncology emphasizes a strong connection between the brain (mind/mood) and the body. This branch recognizes how not only the body, but also the patient’s mind and the soul of the patient affects the diagnosis of cancer. In this discipline, psychological, social, economic and behavioral challenges are being dealt with by patients and their families. This form of support is as necessary as medical treatment itself. “Psycho-oncology is the only branch that treats psychosocial, emotional and mental health,” says Kalpana Balakrishnan, CEO and medical director of Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar.
The development of psycho-oncology
Until the mid -20th century, the primary effort of the oncological discipline was to save human lives and increase the number of survival. Aspect of quality of resistance quality, when surviving cancer raised concerns about their feelings of helplessness and their lack of ability to return to their new normality. This caused the movement of psychosocial care for patients with cancer and their families at the age of 70. Psycho-oncology deals with a wide range of obstacles in cancer care; Starting of diagnosis, adherence to treatment, fear of repetition, concerns about body image, psychosocial distress (involving depression and anxiety), fatigue, difficulty in returning to work or education, helping with tobacco, concerns in interpersonal and marital relationships during and feelings related to sexuality and feelings related to sexuality. Other significant concerns that also appeared are long -term treatment and financial toxicity (expenditure outside the pocket) of cancer care.
Today, an emergency is recognized as the sixth vital emblem and psycho-oncology is established by sub-specialty oncology that offers the necessary adapted psychosocial intervention. Specific psychological interventions such as psycho-election, cognitive therapy, systematic desesezitization, autogenic and progressive muscle relaxation, and eclectic approaches based on needs offers trained experts. and stay physically active. Positive management mechanisms are also supported in the form of horticulture, art therapy, music therapy, etc. to help patients suppress and offer them comfort.
In addition to individual therapies, psycho-oncologists also offer specialized supporting group therapies.
Sundaramoorty Chidambarama, a professional assistant, psycho-oncology, states: “We are pioneers in the organization of support groups for patients, a group of support for Smile Pediatric Cancer Support Group and a group of Cancer Support Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Women, which was founded two decades.” In addition, there are other groups for patients with ostomy, neck cancer (patients with laryngectomy) who do not have their natural voice boxes, and for those who undergo chemo-radiation and encounters with tobacco-free association for tobacco users.
When psycho-oncology becomes crucial
The misery may appear in every stage during the continuum of cancer, from pre -diagnosis to survival or the phase of an end of life. Psycho-oncologists are essential at a time when the diagnosis of cancer is revealed (disrupts bad news). “Experts in psycho-oncology play a key role in the management of predictable fear in terms of the nature of treatment and side effects. This allows patients to take informed treatment decisions and face their treatment with mental strength,” says RERATHY SUDHAKAR, professor assistant, psycho-oncology.
Patients are provided instructions for relaxation techniques to master anxiety and fear before and during the procedure. The effect of cortisol (our stress hormone) has been well demonstrated on the tumor growth. Paying attention to the mind and alleviating the symptoms of stress has tangible and intangible benefits and should not be ignored. Arvvind Krishnamurty, Head, Surgical Oncology, adds: “When cancer surgery and treatment are very intense, it is quite difficult to prepare the patient. Psycho-oncologists help us a lot in patient counseling, more specifically in the body image of surgical procedures such as mastectomy, amputation and neck.” For Vidhya Gopalakrishhnan, a psycho-oncologist, adds: “Carers also experience significant psychosocial anxiety and also require professional psychosocial assistance.
Divya Rajprabhakar, a psychologist, states that the role of psycho-oncology actually starts from the point of cancer prevention. Experts address communities to test and identify tobacco users and provide structured interventions that help them in violation of unhealthy habits. Studies report that only 3% of tobacco users are able to successfully end the use of tobacco itself. Professional leadership with the persistent efforts of the clinic of tobacco quitting to the Cancer Institute (WIA) helped many manage their desire and maintain their status to “end”. “While the diagnosis of cancer instills a sense of fear and acts as an activator for ending tobacco and most stopped immediately, several of them still fight and need professional support,” adds Deepika Sankar, a psychology.
Growth in discipline and future
Psycho-oncology is a strong, developing discipline, a changing lifestyle and provides psychosocial interventions to improve patient management and carers. Divya Rajkumar, a psycho-oncologist, emphasizes that the discipline has grown considerably and now has reserved subpecated traces, including child psycho-oncology, psycho-oncology of survivors, adolescence and young adults (Aya) psycho-oncology. “The availability of psycho-oncological services from diagnostics to the completion of treatment and the phase of death in the children’s environment is very useful and is now considered an integral part of primary cancer care in pediatric cancer,” says Venkatman Radhakrishnan, head, medical oncology.
So far, there are more than 100 trained psycho-oncological experts in the country, most of whom have been trained at the Cancer Institute (WIA), while the Institute was the first in the country to launch the MPHIL psycho-oncology program. To ensure holistic care of cancer for every patient and their family, it is essential that we commonly monitor and evaluate patients and psychosocial problems and the burden of their carers.
Cancer treatment and monitoring is not a sprint, usually a marathon; It can be physically and psychologically taxation for patients, carers and healthcare workers. Psychosocial problems in cancer care are unique for the nature of the disease and treatment. There is a strong need to increase specialized training for psycho-oncologists, advisors and social workers in our country. Psycho-oncology is about the care of the whole person and ensuring compassionate care for cancer-focused patient.
(Surendran Veeeraiah, is a professor and leader, department of psycho-oncology and RCTC, Cancer Institute, Wia. E-mail: v.surendran@cancerinstittewia.org)
Published – 1 May 2025 23:35 is
