Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 156
The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether effects of psychological support (e.g. reintegration programmes, counselling, psychotherapy as well as social and psycho-educational support) prolong the life of cancer patients.
The following databases were searched: the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL/CCTR), Medline (via PubMed), Amed, EMBASE, PsychInfo, Cancerlit and CINAHL. The primary outcome was survival and all randomised controlled trials with this endpoint were considered. Hard copies of relevant papers were retrieved and data were extracted independently by both authors. Odds ratios and P-values obtained through standard statistical software were calculated.
Eleven randomised controlled trials with a total sample size of 1508 patients were included. Eight did not show a survival benefit for psychological interventions. Three randomised controlled trials suggested that psychological interventions could positively influence survival. The pooled data yielded an odds ratio of 0.89, p = 0.6 (confidence interval 0.59–1.35).
The majority of the rigorous studies suggest that psychological therapies do not have a positive effect on the length of survival of cancer patients. The pooled data from the 11 rigorous studies available to date do not suggest an effect on survival.
