Peace, equanimity and acceptance in the cancer experience: validation of the German version (PEACE-G) and associations with mental health, health-related quality of life and psychological constructs.

Background: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses reveal the importance of an accepting attitude towards cancer for mental health and functional coping. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the German translation of the Peace, Equanimity, and Acceptance in the Cancer Experience (PEACE) questionnaire (Mack et al., 2008) and to investigate its associations with mental health, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and related constructs.

Couples Coping With Hematological Cancer: Support Within and Outside the Couple - Findings From a Qualitative Analysis of Dyadic Interviews.

Objective: Cancer affects the patients as well as their partners. Couples use different strategies to cope with cancer and the associated burden: individual coping, dyadic coping, and support from the social network and from professional health care. The aim of this qualitative dyadic interviews is to gain a deeper and more differentiated understanding of the support system inside and outside of the couple.

Dyadic coping and social support: Various types of support in hematooncological patients and their spouses-Associations with psychological distress.

Objective: Patients and spouses use various support strategies to deal with cancer and its associated burden. Support can be perceived within the dyad [perceived dyadic coping (PDC)] or from others [perceived social support (PSS)]. The present study investigates the association of PDC and PSS with depression and anxiety symptoms experienced by hematooncological dyads.

The relationship between acceptance, fatigue, and subjective cognitive impairment in hematologic cancer survivors.

: Cancer and its treatment can have a detrimental impact on psychological well-being. Acceptance as the basis of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown beneficial effects on depression and anxiety. However, its relationship to fatigue and cognitive impairment has not been investigated.

A standardised frankincense extract reduces disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (the SABA phase IIa trial).

Objective: To investigate whether oral administration of a standardised frankincense extract (SFE) is safe and reduces disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods: We performed an investigator-initiated, bicentric phase IIa, open-label, baseline-to-treatment pilot study with an oral SFE in patients with RRMS (NCT01450124). After a 4-month baseline observation phase, patients were treated for 8 months with an option to extend treatment for up to 36 months.

[Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Disease].

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an intervention representing a transdiagnostic and contextual approach that assumes that psychological suffering is caused by experiential avoidance. The primary intention of ACT is not to eliminate symptoms and to treat mental disorders. Instead, ACT aims to increase psychological flexibility, i.

[Dyadic Coping of Patients with Haemato-Oncological Diseases and their Partners: Discrepancy Indexes and Association with Social Support and Psychological Distress].

Background: Cancer is often associated with negative psychosocial consequences not only for patients but also for their partners. These consequences are also influenced by the applied coping strategies.

Objective: The study examines the influence of Dyadic Coping (DC) on social support and psychological distress (symptoms of depression and anxiety) in haemato-oncological patients and their partners.

Therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in psychodynamic psychotherapy of depressed breast cancer patients: the same old story or different from other populations?

Background: A good therapeutic alliance is associated with better treatment outcomes in diverse types of psychotherapy and patient populations, but little is known about therapeutic alliance in psychotherapies with cancer patients. This study examines the association of therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in short term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) for breast cancer patients.

Methods: Within a randomized controlled trial, 47 completers of STPP could be included in the analyses.

Associations between dyadic coping and supportive care needs: findings from a study with hematologic cancer patients and their partners.

Purpose: The way couples mutually cope with hematologic cancer is likely to influence their levels of supportive care needs (SCN). Therefore, this study evaluated the levels of dyadic coping (DC) and SCN and the concurrent associations between both variables.

Methods: Three hundred thirty patients with a hematologic malignancy (63% male) and their partners completed the dyadic coping inventory (DCI) and the supportive care needs survey (SCNS-SF-34-G).

The relation between dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction in couples dealing with haematological cancer.

Couples' ability to cope with cancer is significantly associated with how satisfied they are with their relationship. However, little evidence specific to haemato-oncological patients exists. The objective of this study was to examine how dyadic coping (DC) affects relationship satisfaction among couples facing haematological cancer.

Dyadic coping of patients with hematologic malignancies and their partners and its relation to quality of life - a longitudinal study.

Coping with cancer can potentially modify couples' quality of life (QoL). The predictive impact of dyadic coping (DC) on QoL was investigated within patients with hematological cancer and their partners. Data were collected in a multi-centre longitudinal study (N = 208 couples).

[Stigmatizing Attitudes towards Cancer Patients--Results of a Representative Population Survey].

Objective: To investigate stigmatizing attitudes towards cancer patients in the general population and to examine their association with socio-structural characteristics and perceived causes of disease.

Methods: We recruited a representative sample from the German general population (n=2420; mean age: 52 years; 54% women). Stigmatizing attitudes were assessed with a 9-item scale.

Does psychodynamic short-term psychotherapy for depressed breast cancer patients also improve fatigue? Results from a randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the course of fatigue in depressed breast cancer patients, (b) the effect of a depression-focused individual psychodynamic psychotherapy on fatigue, and (c) the associations of fatigue with depression, quality of life and treatment-related variables. In a German multicentre randomized controlled trial in Leipzig and Mainz, depressed early breast cancer patients (UICC stage 0-III, age 18-70 years) were randomly assigned to a short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP, an adaptation of the Supportive-Expressive psychotherapy by Luborsky for cancer patients) or treatment as usual (TAU) and completed data assessment pre- and post-treatment. Fatigue was assessed with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20).

[Family Focused Grief Therapy - A Suitable Model for the Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and their Families?].

Loss is a universal human experience. Within the context of cancer and especially in the palliative care of oncological patients, anticipated and real losses and their management play a crucial role. A high proportion of patients and family members develop a treatment requiring psychiatric comorbidity (for both groups between 20 and 30%, mainly adjustment and anxiety disorders and depression).

Psychosocial interventions for adolescents and young adult cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients experience unique psychosocial needs and developmental challenges. A cancer diagnosis can stress this development and disrupt AYAs in their normal life. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the impact of psychosocial interventions on mental health in AYAs.

Children and Employment - Resource or Stressors after Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer patients suffer clinically relevant levels of psychological stress because of their disease. Various factors can affect the level of stress experienced. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the level of psychological stress and employment and children, including time since diagnosis.

[Patient involvement in medical decision making--an overview on patient preferences and impacting factors].

The involvement of patients in medical treatment decisions has been intensively discussed for several years. The present review article is concerned with the patient participation in medical decision making mainly in the field of oncology. Also discussed are methodological aspects of the measurement of patient involvement and the theoretical approach of shared decision -making.

Efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) with depressed breast cancer patients: results of a randomized controlled multicenter trial.

Background: There is a lack of trials of psychodynamic treatments of depression in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this trial was to determine the efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) in non-metastatic breast cancer patients diagnosed with depression, one of the most frequent mental comorbidities of breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: In a multicenter prospective trial, 157 breast cancer patients with comorbid depression were randomized to either individual STPP (intervention group, N=78) or 'treatment as usual' (control group, TAU, N=79).

[Patient satisfaction in oncological aftercare--differential results of gender aspects in doctor-patient dyads].

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the role of gender of the physician and gender of the patient in explaining differences in patient satisfaction.

Material And Methods: Overall, 1,130 patients were assigned to one of 4 possible physician-patient sex dyads and were interviewed with a questionnaire about their patient satisfaction.

Results: Female patients in a dyad with a female physician were most satisfied with the overall judgment of practice visit and the inclusion of life situation in comparison to all other dyads.

Patient participation in the medical decision-making process in haemato-oncology--a qualitative study.

Cancer patients are showing increased interest in shared decision-making. Patients with haematological illnesses, however, express considerably less desire for shared decision-making as compared with other oncological patient groups. The goal of the current project was to identify the reasons for the lower desire for shared decision-making among patients with haematological illness.

Efficacy of psychodynamic short-term psychotherapy for depressed breast cancer patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: There is a lack of psychotherapeutic trials of treatments of comorbid depression in cancer patients. Our study determines the efficacy of a manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and predictors of outcome by personality and quality of the therapeutic relationship.

Methods/design: Eligible breast cancer patients with comorbid depression are assigned to short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (up to 20 + 5 sessions) or to treatment as usual (augmented by recommendation for counseling center and physician information).

[Depression in children of cancer patients over time and dependence of the parental distress].

This study was part of the German multicentre project "Psychosocial Services for Children of Parents with Cancer" (2009-2012, research grant: German Cancer Aid). 60 parent-child-dyads (children's age: >10 years, at least one parent with cancer) could be included in data analysis. Depressive symptoms of children were assessed with the CES-DC at two times (t1 and t2).

Quality of life of colorectal cancer patients in certified centers versus non-certified hospitals.

Background: Since 2006, in Germany colorectal cancer patients can be treated in certified colorectal cancer centers. The aim of this explorative study was to investigate whether there are differences in the quality of life (QoL) of colorectal cancer patients who were treated in certified versus noncertified centers.

Patients And Methods: A total of 284 colorectal cancer patients participated in the study: 184 patients from certified colorectal cancer centers and 100 patients from noncertified centers.