Effects of tandem cognitive behavioral therapy and healthy lifestyle interventions on health-related outcomes in cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Sarah Addison, Damalie Shirima, Emmanuela B Aboagye-Mensah, Shanon G Dunovan, Esther Y Pascal, Maryam B Lustberg, Elizabeth K Arthur, Timiya S Nolan

Journal: Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice 2022;16(5):1023-1046

PMID: 34357555

Free Full Text on PubMed Central View on PubMed

Abstract

PURPOSE

Healthy lifestyle (HL) behaviors and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been individually shown to improve adverse effects of cancer treatment. Little is known about how such programs in tandem affect health-related outcomes. This review evaluates extant literature on tandem CBT/HL interventions on health-related outcomes in cancer survivors.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of PubMed, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Embase databases revealed numerous studies involving CBT and HL tandem interventions in cancer survivors in the last 20 years. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were examined and assessed by the authors.

RESULTS

The 36 studies included 5199 participants. Interventions involved the use of CBT in combination with a HL condition (stress reduction, increasing physical activity, etc.). These tandem conditions were compared against no intervention, usual care, and/or CBT alone or HL alone. Interventions were delivered by a variety of interventionists, and over different durations. The most common HL target outcomes were stress, and insomnia. Most studies (31 of 36) reported a reduction in adverse treatment and/or cancer-related effects.

CONCLUSION

Findings were biased with the overrepresentation of breast cancer survivors, and underrepresentation of minority groups, and those with advanced cancer. Thus, this review highlights the need for further research to test tandem interventions against CBT alone and HL alone, and toward identifying the most efficacious interventions for dissemination and implementation across diverse groups of cancer survivors. Implications for cancer survivors Tandem CBT/HL interventions can improve health-related outcomes for cancer survivors when compared to usual care, but there is a paucity of knowledge to suggest differential outcomes when compared to CBT or HL alone.

Address: The Ohio State College of Medicine, 370 West 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, 460 W 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.; College of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 4111 Dewey Ave, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.; Department of Microbiology, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, 281 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 370 West 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.; The Ohio State College of Nursing, 1585 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, 460 W 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. [email protected].; The Ohio State College of Nursing, 1585 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1007/s11764-021-01094-8

Link outs

Free resources

Full Text Sources:

Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/breastcancer.html

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11764-021-01094-8

MeSH Terms: Breast Neoplasms, Cancer Survivors, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Female, Healthy Lifestyle, Humans, Survivors