title: Effects of integrated psychosocial care for distress in cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite some clinical guidelines for incorporating integrated psychosocial care (combining psychological screening and psychological intervention, including adequate collaboration with mental health specialists) into routine oncology practice, definitive empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of such care remains unavailable. Here the findings of recent experimental studies are reviewed to provide guidance regarding this issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative studies examining integrated psychosocial care were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Studies examining interventions that include both screening and psychological care have produced contradictory results regarding effectiveness, but all the studies that have examined the effect of psychological care after the identification of distress using systematic screening have shown positive results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Integrated psychosocial care may affect patients with significant distress, but the adequacy of introducing such care into routine oncology practice remains debatable.
authors.affiliation: Psycho-oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuou-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. keshimiz@ncc.go.jp
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000639:trends; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome