title: The efficacy of short-term psycho-oncological interventions for women with gynaecological cancer: a randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the efficacy of two psycho-oncological interventions in anxiety, depression, and self-perceived as well as physiological stress in inpatients with gynaecological cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five women were included in the trial. Thirty-five were categorized as being at high risk of anxiety and depression, and were randomized to either a single psycho-oncological therapy session or a single-session relaxation intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease in anxiety [mean (t0) = 12, mean (t1) = 7.47, p = 0.001] and depression [mean (t0) = 9.71, mean (t1) = 6.35, p < 0.001] was observed in the psycho-oncological intervention group. In the relaxation group, anxiety also significantly decreased [mean (t0) = 11.67, mean (t1) = 8.22, p = 0.003], whereas depression did not. A comparative analysis of both interventions showed a trend in favour of psycho-oncological therapy for the treatment of depression (F = 3.3, p = 0.078). However, self-reported stress (p = 0.031) and different objective stress parameters only significantly decreased in the relaxation group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psycho-oncological interventions should represent an essential part of interdisciplinary care for gynaecological cancer patients. Both types of intervention may reduce anxiety. However, the single psycho-oncological therapy session might be slightly more effective in treating depression, whereas the single-session relaxation intervention seems to have a stronger effect on physiological stress parameters.
authors.affiliation: Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Goerling
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stickel
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mangler
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Meer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*