[Does a psychosocial group intervention program alter the quality of life of cancer patients?]

Structured, multicentre psychosocial support programmes are rare in Switzerland. The Swiss Cancer League has therefore designed a programme of this kind for cancer patients, and the effect on quality of life (QL) is investigated in the present study.

The programme consisted of 10 weekly 2-hour sessions and was carried out, on the basis of a manual, in 10 cities of German-speaking Switzerland. QL was assessed by standardised tools (HAD, EORTC, QLQ-C30, SELT-M, LASA) before, immediately after, and 9 months post baseline. Patients' personal impressions of the programme were gathered by telephone.

134 patients (25 males, 109 females), mean age 51.9 years, took part in the programme. 50% had breast cancer and the other half a variety of tumours. 25 patients attended only the educative part of the programme, while of the remaining 109, 41% attended all 10 sessions, 50% 7-9 and 9% 4-6. 80-90% had a favourable impression of the individual sessions and their content. Significant QL changes in the desired direction were observed in regard to emotional functioning (Wilcoxon p = 0.011), anxiety (p = 0.0005), depression (p < 0.0001), general life orientation (p = 0.006) and spiritual QL (p = 0.012). More optimistic patients showed a more positive change in physical well-being (Kurskall-Wallis p = 0.0005) and QL in general (p = 0.0006).

A psychosocial support programme is well received by cancer patients after adjuvant treatment and leads to favourable QL changes, although independent time effects cannot be ruled out. Similar programme should be considered more often in standard oncological treatment regimens.