Efficacy of group therapy to reduce mental distress in women with non-metastatic breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: Group treatments have proven to be effective for many mental disorders and showed beneficial effects in patients with medical illness. Aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to summarize the efficacy of group therapy for women with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Methods: We included studies comparing group therapy for women with non-metastatic breast cancer to non-active control groups, active control conditions, and individual psychotherapy.

[Communication with seriously ill patients - more than just breaking bad news].

Communication with seriously ill patients - more than just breaking bad news In the context of palliative care, specific communication strategies and techniques are needed to adequately meet the special challenges of the palliative care situation. Successful communication is characterized by criteria of patient-centeredness and can positively influence important parameters of patients, caregivers, and clinicians. These parameters include informed and shared decision making, a trustful relationship with the treatment team, improved knowledge and understanding of prognosis, improved treatment adherence and coping with difficult treatment decisions, and increased patient satisfaction and quality of life of patients and caregivers.

[Death Wishes in Patients with Advanced Cancer: An Explorative Analysis of Psychotherapeutic Treatment Transcripts].

Todeswünsche bei Patienten mit einer fortgeschrittenen Krebserkrankung sind bereits seit längerem Gegenstand der psychoonkologischen Forschung. Auch wenn es inzwischen einige Ansätze gibt, die sich mit der Konzeptualisierung und Beschreibung von Todeswünschen befassen, fehlt es bislang an einem in der klinischen Praxis gut anwendbaren Konzept und dazugehörigen Erhebungsinstrumenten. Ziel der Studie ist deshalb die phänomenologische Beschreibung von Todeswünschen bei Patienten mit fortgeschrittenem Krebs.

Norm Values and Psychometric Properties of the 24-Item Demoralization Scale (DS-I) in a Representative Sample of the German General Population.

The Demoralization scale (DS-I) is a validated and frequently used instrument to assess existential distress in patients with cancer and other severe medical illness. The purpose of this study was to provide normative values derived from a representative German general population sample and to analyze the correlational structure of the DS-I. A representative sample of the adult German general population completed the DS-I (24 Items), the Emotion Thermometers (ET) measuring distress, anxiety, depression, anger, need for help, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale (FACIT-fatigue).