Study | Settings/Patients | Study Design/Intervention | Timing of intervention | Assessment timepoints | Measures | Results | Methodological Quality |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hammerlid et al. (1999) [20] | 13 HNC pts. in Sweden | Single arm studies. Two studies: first, long term psychological group therapy for patients with newly diagnosed HNC with psychologist. Second, 1 week long psychoeducational program 1 year after treatment for HNC with oncologist, nurse, and physiotherapist. | 1. Started with new diagnosis of HNC; 2. Started 1 year after treatment | baseline, 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months | HADS; EORTC; study-specific questionnaire | QOL in therapy group improved more than control | 3 |
Allison PJ et al. (2004) [21] | 50 HNC pts.; Canada | Single arm study. Intervention group received Nucare coping strategies, psychoeducational intervention that teaches coping in one of three formats (small group with therapist, one on one with therapist, or a home format without therapist) | no information about where patients were in treatment or type of treatment or subtype of HNC | baseline and 3 months | EORTC-QOL; HADS | Intervention resulted in higher health related QOL and depression scores. | 5 |
Kangas et al. (2013) [22] | 35 HNC pts. with elevated levels of PTSD, depression, or anxiety | RCT. Intervention group received seven weekly individual sessions with clinical psychologist of multi-modal CBT vs non-directive supportive counseling, concurrent with patient’s radiotherapy. | concurrent with radiotherapy | baseline, 1, 6, and 12 months | Clinician Administered PTSD Scale; Beck Depression Inventory; State Trait Anxiety Inventory; FACT-General | CBT and SC interventions found to be equal in effects reducing PTSD and anxiety symptoms in short/long term. However, more pts. in CBT program no longer met clinical or sub clinical PTSD, anxiety, and/or depression by 12 months post treatment | 5 |
Kilbourn et al. (2013) [28] | 24 HNC pts. | Single arm study. Easing and Alleviating Symptoms during Treatment (EASE) intervention – participants received up to 8 telephone counseling sessions focused on coping and stress management. | Concurrent with radiotherapy | Baseline, 1 month post intervention end | Impact of Events Scale, FACT-HN, Pain Disability Index, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List | Intervention was feasible and acceptable. Participants experienced decrease in QOL and no change in pain scores. | 4 |
Krebber et al. (2016) [23] | 156 pts. (HNC and lung cancer (LC)); had distress on HADS to be included; Netherlands | RCT. Intervention group received stepped care, which consisted of watchful waiting, guided self-help, problem-solving therapy, and psychotherapy and/or psychotropic medication with oncologist or psychologist/psychiatrist as stepped care. | enrolled within 1 month of completing curative treatment for LC or HNC (94%), no specifics on surgery vs. RT vs CRT | baseline, completion of care, 3, 6, 9, 12 months | HADS; EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-HN35/QLQ-LC13, IN-PATSAT32 (satisfaction with care) | Psychological distress better in the stepped care group vs usual care. Those patients with anxiety or depression had an even larger improvement in the stepped care group. | 6 |
Pollard et al. (2017) [29] | 19 HNC pts. | Single arm study. Mindfulness intervention – participants received 7, 90 min one-on-one sessions with clinical psychologist with individualized mindfulness-based stress reduction (IMBSR) program. | Concurrent with radiotherapy | Baseline and post-intervention/ treatment | Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Profile of Mood States-Short Form, FACT-HN | Intervention was feasible and acceptable with good patient-compliance. QOL declined over the intervention for the whole population, however, patients with higher post-intervention mindfulness had higher QOL. | 4 |