Psycho-Oncologie

Performative healing: The use of expressive dance to support emotional recovery after cancer diagnosis

Rui Ou — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Despite growing interest in psychosocial interventions for cancer patients, existing supportive care approaches often insufficiently address embodied emotional expression during the early phase following diagnosis. This study investigates the potential of expressive dance as a performative and body-based healing practice to support emotional recovery after cancer diagnosis. Using a controlled intervention design, standardized psychological scales, behavioral ratings, and physiological indicators were employed to evaluate the effects of expressive dance on emotional recovery outcomes. The findings reveal that expressive dance facilitates emotional release, enhances self-awareness, and reconstructs patients’ sense of agency by integrating bodily movement with emotional meaning-making. Unlike conventional verbal or cognitive interventions, this approach emphasizes performative healing through embodied expression, offering a novel psychosocial pathway for emotional support in psycho-oncology. These results highlight the unique therapeutic value of expressive dance and suggest its potential integration into holistic cancer care frameworks.

The impact of digital tourism marketing on psychological recovery of cancer survivors: An empirical study from the perspective of sports tourism

Yuyue Liao — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Cancer survivors’ psychological recovery requires not only medical treatment but also psychological support and lifestyle interventions. Wellness tourism, particularly sports tourism, can improve psychological states while promoting physical health. However, mechanisms through which digital tourism marketing influences psychological recovery remain inadequately studied. Objective: To explore how digital tourism marketing affects cancer survivors’ wellness tourism motivation and analyze the mediating role of sports tourism participation in psychological recovery (psychological well-being and resilience). Methods: Questionnaire data were collected from 386 cancer patients in recovery at a tertiary hospital. Structural Equation Modeling tested direct effects of digital tourism marketing on wellness tourism motivation and mediating effects of sports tourism participation. Bootstrap method was used for mediation testing, and multi-group analysis compared differences across recovery stages. Results: Digital tourism marketing significantly enhanced wellness tourism motivation (β = 0.52, p < 0.001). Sports tourism participation positively affected psychological well-being (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and psychological resilience (β = 0.38, p < 0.001), partially mediating the relationship between wellness tourism motivation and psychological recovery. Multi-group analysis revealed stronger path coefficients for early-stage survivors (<6 months) compared to late-stage survivors (>12 months). Conclusion: Digital tourism marketing improves cancer survivors’ psychological well-being and resilience by stimulating wellness tourism motivation and promoting sports tourism participation. This study provides theoretical foundations and practical guidance for wellness tourism product design, psychological interventions, and digital marketing strategy development for cancer survivors.

Rural literature and media innovation: Psychological support for cancer patients

Yin Tang — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A cancer diagnosis is a serious condition that has a substantial impact on an individual’s emotional and psychological well-being, and their general health. This burden is more profound for cancer patients living in rural regions, where access to psychological support checks, advanced medical facilities, and community-based resources is restricted. The research aims to analyze the viability and tolerability of a novel psychological support intervention that combines rural literature and media innovation to tackle the exclusive challenges faced by cancer patients. A mixed-methods approach is employed, with a pre-and post-intervention survey and semi-structured interviews to assess the intervention’s impact on psychosocial well-being. The intervention is an 8-week media innovation (interactive digital tools) and literature-based intervention designed to address common cancer-specific stressors. A total of 31 participants, including both cancer survivors and those undergoing active treatment. Qualitative feedback from participants is collected through interviews and textual data, while quantitative data assesses changes in psychosocial well-being. The findings showed a post-intervention significant decrease in depressive symptoms and psychological distress, along with non-significant increases in mindfulness and Quality of Life (QoL). This research highlights the potential of combining media innovation and literature-based interventions to improve psychological support for cancer patients, particularly in rural settings, while also emphasizing the need for enhanced community engagement and access to digital resources.

A sociological perspective on the improvement of social isolation in cancer patients by musical vocal activities

Shengnan Dai — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Based on a sociological perspective, this study employed a randomized controlled trial to recruit 120 cancer patients, who were allocated to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received a 12-week music-vocal activity intervention in addition to routine rehabilitation care, while the control group received routine care only. Six outcome indicators were assessed: social isolation, perceived social support, frequency of social activities, vocal self-efficacy, quality of life in the social functioning dimension, and group cohesion. Results showed that all indicators in the experimental group improved significantly compared with baseline and with the control group (P < 0.001), with the greatest improvements observed at 12 weeks. Intention-to-treat analyses with multiple imputation for missing data confirmed the robustness of the findings. The study demonstrates that systematic music and vocal activities can effectively reduce social isolation, enhance perceived social support, promote social participation, and improve both quality of life and group cohesion by strengthening patients’ self-efficacy and group identity. These results provide a promising pathway for social reconstruction during cancer rehabilitation.

The role of traditional sports games in relieving psychological stress and enhancing social support for students with benign tumors

Hutong Tian, Wenmei Dong, Hongjun Jin, Jialiang Guo, Yanrong Li — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Students diagnosed with benign tumors often experience psychological stress and social isolation, which can adversely affect their emotional well-being. Traditional sports games, which are culturally important and promote physical activity, offer a potential intervention to alleviate stress and improve social support. The research discovers the role of traditional sports games in relieving psychological stress and improving social support for students with benign tumors. A total of 131 students diagnosed with benign tumors were divided into two groups: the intervention group (IG) (n = 91), which participated in traditional sports games, and the Control group (CG) (n = 40), which continued with their regular activities without engaging in sports games. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was utilized to evaluate psychological stress, while the Social Support Scale (SSS) measured the level of social support received by participants, concentrating on emotional, informational, and instrumental support. The statistical analysis utilized IBM SPSS software version 29. The data were analyzed utilizing statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and correlation analysis. The IG attained positive outcomes across all factors, with emotional support at 90%, the group perceived cohesiveness at 88%, self-efficacy at 80%, 82% for informational support, 75% for instrumental support, and 68% for psychological stress1. Traditional sports games and team bonds facilitate positive interactions among students. This mode promotes emotional interaction, facilitating social interaction where players support and encourage each other through play, which helps them communicate emotionally. Consequently, these enjoyable social dynamics facilitate lowering psychological stress and a sense of community among students having benign tumors, which enhances our students’ psychological well-being. The results indicate that the IG displayed an important reduction in psychological stress, with developed PSS and SSS scores. Reductions in stress and anxiety, as well as increases in self-efficacy, were significantly correlated with group perceived cohesiveness. Traditional sports games help reduce stress and improve social support for students with benign tumors by fostering peer relationships, building a sense of community, and improving emotional well-being with health-focused programs.

A study on the influence of applied psychological nursing intervention on psychological stress and quality of life of terminally ill elderly cancer patients

Leilei Gao, Qun Shen, Jingqian ang — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 09:18:46 +0000

Objective: To investigate the effects of psychological nursing combined with palliative care on psychological stress and quality of life in elderly patients with malignant tumors. Methods: A total of 120 terminally ill elderly patients with malignant tumors were randomly assigned to an observation group (n = 60) or a control group (n = 60). The control group received palliative care, whereas the observation group received psychological nursing in addition to palliative care. Psychological stress and quality of life were compared between groups after the intervention. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0, employing t-tests or χ² tests as appropriate. Results: After the intervention, both groups showed significant reductions in pain intensity, pain beliefs, and the impact of pain on activities, along with increased satisfaction with pain control. The observation group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the control group (P < 0.05). Quality-of-life scores increased significantly in both groups, with larger improvements in the observation group (P < 0.05). Sleep indicators also improved: actual sleep duration increased, sleep latency shortened, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores decreased, with more pronounced changes in the observation group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, scores for anxiety (HAMA), depression (HAMD), cancer-related fatigue, and dignity-related dimensions (social support, spiritual peace, independence, psychological status, and symptom distress) all decreased significantly in both groups, with greater reductions in the observation group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Psychological nursing combined with palliative care significantly reduces psychological stress, relieves pain, improves cancer-related fatigue, enhances sleep quality, and promotes dignity among terminally ill elderly patients with malignant tumors. This integrated approach shows considerable clinical value.

Psychological motivation and adherence to physical activity participation in patients recovering from cancer

Xiaoliang Liu, Lehai Lin, Fei Yang — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:48:11 +0000

Objective: To explore the types of motivation, adherence influences, and their interaction mechanisms of physical activity participation among patients in cancer rehabilitation and serve as a fundamental groundwork for devising tailored behavioral intervention strategies and enhancing adherence. Methods: A mixed research method was used to include 300 patients recovering from breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Quantitative analyses were conducted through the revised physical activity Motivation Inventory (EMI-2) and adherence logs, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 patients, and the data were integrated by using latent category analysis (LCA), multiple regression, and phenomenological analysis. Results: Patient motivations were categorized as health maintenance (45.67%), social engagement (30.33%), and medically driven (24.00%); self-efficacy (β = 0.32, p = 0.007) and the identification of core predictors, notably family support (β = 0.25, p = 0.021); and the qualitative interviews revealed that medical guidance (76.67%) and digital tools (53.33%) were key facilitators, while physical fatigue (63.33%) was the main barrier. Adherence scores were significantly higher in health maintenance patients (72.31 ± 12.14 vs. 58.93 ± 18.29, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Physical activity behavior of patients in cancer rehabilitation is driven by both intrinsic motivation and external support, and the construction of a “doctor-patient-family-community” triadic support system can improve long-term adherence, and future research needs to deepen the intervention strategy by combining metabolic-immune mechanisms.

Effects of social support and coping styles on the dynamic evolution of anxiety and depression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients during radiochemotherapy and early recovery: A prospective cohort study

Ni Zhou, Mulan Li, Pinggui Gong, Cui He, Hong Peng — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Radiochemotherapy and subsequent rehabilitation impose significant psychological burdens on nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, who often experience anxiety and depression that undermine treatment compliance and quality of life. Previous studies suggest social support and coping styles can buffer psychological distress during cancer treatment; however, longitudinal research examining their dynamic impact during radiochemotherapy and rehabilitation remains scarce. Objective: This study explored the impact of social support and coping styles on changes in anxiety and depression among nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients undergoing radiochemotherapy and rehabilitation, providing a basis for individualized psychological interventions. Methods: A prospective cohort design was adopted. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were administered before radiochemotherapy (T0), mid-treatment (T1), treatment completion (T2), and one month post-treatment (T3). Tumor stage and economic burden were also recorded. Changes in anxiety, depression, social support, and coping strategies were analyzed via repeated-measures ANOVA, while linear mixed-effects models evaluated the longitudinal influence of social support and coping styles. Results: Among 180 patients (107 males, 73 females; mean age 51.7 ± 7.2 years), anxiety scores significantly decreased from 6.39 ± 0.94 (T0) to 4.79 ± 0.68 (T3) (F=20.371, P<0.001); depression scores similarly decreased from 6.02 ± 0.68 to 4.63 ± 0.57 (F=18.426, P<0.001). Social support and positive coping increased significantly, while negative coping decreased (all P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed social support (B=−0.08, P<0.001) and positive coping (B=−0.12, P<0.001) were associated with reduced anxiety and depression, whereas negative coping and economic burden correlated positively (all P<0.01). Stratified analysis confirmed patients with high social support and strong coping skills exhibited consistently lower anxiety and depression (P<0.05). Conclusion: Strengthening social support networks and promoting positive coping strategies effectively reduce anxiety and depression during radiochemotherapy and rehabilitation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, enhancing treatment compliance and emotional well-being.

Quadratus lumborum block combined with multidimensional psychological intervention (CBT + mindfulness) on recovery and psychological status after gasless laparoscopic surgery in elderly patients with gynecological malignancies: A randomized controlled tri

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:06:51 +0000

Background: Postoperative pain and negative emotions are common in elderly patients with gynecological malignancies. High-quality evidence is lacking on how to achieve effective analgesia and psychological improvement during gasless laparoscopic surgery. Objective: To explore the effects of quadratus lumborum block combined with cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness training on postoperative pain control, relief of negative emotions, and functional recovery in this population. Methods: A single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 120 elderly patients with gynecological malignancies meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group or control group. In the intervention group, quadratus lumborum block and multidimensional psychological intervention were applied perioperatively, in addition to routine analgesia and health education. The primary outcomes included pain scores at 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Opioid consumption and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) bolus counts within 48 h were recorded. Secondary outcomes were postoperative changes in SAS and SDS scores, functional recovery, and complications. Statistical methods were used to analyze differences between groups. Results: Pain scores in the intervention group at 24 and 48 h postoperatively were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05, repeated-measures ANOVA). Total opioid consumption and PCA bolus counts within 48 h were significantly reduced (P < 0.01, t-test). SAS and SDS scores decreased more significantly at 24 and 48 h postoperatively in the intervention group (P < 0.05, t-test). Times to ambulation and first flatus and defecation were significantly shorter (P < 0.05, t/U test), and hospital stay was reduced (P < 0.05, t-test). SF-36 scores before discharge were higher than in the control group (P < 0.05, t-test), but no significant difference in complication rates was observed (P > 0.05, χ² or Fisher test). Conclusion: Quadratus lumborum block combined with multidimensional psychological intervention effectively reduced postoperative pain, decreased opioid requirements, improved anxiety and depression, and promoted functional recovery and quality of life, proving to be safe and feasible.

A randomized controlled trial on the effects of specialized nursing based on cognitive behavioral intervention on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Fanrong Hu, Lan Guo, Zhihua Luo, Mingli Zeng — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma often experience anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions, which not only affect treatment compliance but also significantly reduce their quality of life. Exploring effective nursing intervention strategies to improve patients’ psychological state and enhance prognostic levels has become an important issue in clinical practice. Objective: To investigate the effects of specialized nursing based on cognitive behavioral intervention on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, providing evidence-based support for clinical nursing interventions. Methods: A single-center, parallel-group, open-label randomized controlled trial design was used from January 2022 to December 2023 in the Hematology Department of Chengdu Shang Jin Nan Fu Hospital. A total of 128 diagnosed patients were recruited and randomly assigned into an experimental group and a control group according to the random number table method, with 64 cases in each group. On the basis of routine nursing, the experimental group received cognitive behavioral intervention, including group lectures, individual follow-up, and relaxation training, for 12 weeks. Anxiety, depression, and quality of life were assessed at pre-intervention (T0), 6 weeks of intervention (T1), 12 weeks of intervention (T2), and 3 months after the end of the intervention (T3). Results: There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between the two groups in terms of anxiety, depression, and quality of life scores at baseline. At 6 weeks (T1), 12 weeks (T2), and 3 months after the end of the intervention (T3), the experimental group had significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than the control group (t test, P < 0.01) and significantly higher quality of life scores than the control group (t test, P < 0.01). Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant time × group effect for anxiety, depression, and quality of life (P < 0.001), indicating that the trend of improvement in emotional state and quality of life in the intervention group was significantly better than that in the control group. Conclusion: Specialized nursing based on cognitive behavioral intervention can significantly improve anxiety and depression in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and continuously enhance their quality of life. This provides an important reference for optimizing and promoting clinical nursing models for this population.

The impact of cancer health literacy on the behavior and psychology of patients’ families

Wei Yan, Jianzheng Du — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:35:49 +0000

Health literacy can influence preventive health behaviors related to cancer, thereby improving human quality of life and health levels. This study focuses on the cancer health literacy status of college students as family members of patients, aiming to explore its impact on the health behavior and psychological resilience of family members. This study conducted a questionnaire survey on college students from Guangzhou University, which included the Cancer Health Literacy Scale, Self Management Behavior Scale, and Related Psychological Change Scale. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed and 372 were collected, with a response rate of 93.0%. 351 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective response rate of 87.8%. As family members of patients, college students have a high sense of health responsibility, but their self-management ability in nutrition is relatively low. The ability to cope with cancer indirectly affects the willingness of patients’ families to adopt health management behaviors through health behavior beliefs. The higher the ability to cope with cancer, the better the performance of health self-management behaviors. In addition, the overall mental health status of the patient’s family members is in the healthy range, but the positive detection rate of anxiety dimension is as high as 25.07%. The attitude towards cancer presents a contradictory feature of high natural acceptance but coexistence of death fear and avoidance tendency.

Effect of nutritional care combined with psychological intervention on nutritional status, psychological state and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis and cancer

Lingqiong Ren, Ying Luo, Huan Zhang, Yueping Li, Wenying Zhou, Bin Tang — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective: To investigate the effects of nutritional nursing combined with psychological support on nutritional status, mental health and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis and cancer. Methods: A series of 80 cases of ulcerative colitis complicated by radiation were then standardized into laboratory and test arms, with 40 patients in each group. The parallel set was provided with standard dietary management and health education, while the experimental group, in addition to pharmacological treatment and comprehensive risk assessment, also received specialized psychological support. Nutritional status was evaluated by indicators such as hemoglobin, total protein, serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin. Mental health was assessed using the self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale, and quality of life was evaluated with the SF-36 scale. Moreover, the systemic inflammation levels and adverse reactions of both groups were observed. Results: Post-treatment, the experimental group displayed increased levels of serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin in comparison to the parallel set. Furthermore, the self-assessment scores for the laboratory group for anatomy and hypertension decreased significantly from baseline and were lower than the scores of the parallel set. In terms of life quality, changes were observed in various dimensions for both groups post-intervention, with some differences noted between the experimental and control groups. The trial arm had lower levels of serum inflammatory markers and a lower occurrence of dysfunction over the parallel ones. Conclusion: Integrating nutritional care with psychological intervention can efficiently enhance the nutritional condition of patients suffering from ulcerative colitis and cancer. It helps relieve negative psychological states, decrease the levels of serum inflammatory factors, lower the incidence of adverse reactions, and, to some degree, improve patients’ quality of life.

Advance directives in cancer care: A psycho-oncological perspective on legal reform in China

Man Teng Iong — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Cancer patients face severe psychological challenges, manifesting as anxiety, depression and emotional distress throughout their treatment choices, palliative care transitions and end-of-life situations. These psychosocial burdens become worse because they cannot control the medical procedures which affect them. Advance Directives (ADs) serve as essential instruments that protect patient control of their medical decisions, minimize decisional uncertainty and guarantee medical care follows the patient’s individual worth and personal values. Objective: This paper evaluates the relationship between ADs and psycho-oncology through evidence showing their success in decreasing psychological distress in cancer patients and their families. The article examines how ADs function in specific cancer-related situations, such as end-of-life care, palliative treatment, mental health crises and cognitive decline from terminal illness. Methods: The research examines international ADs through policy review and a framework evaluation across American, German and UK systems, assessing their effects on patient care quality together with ethical and emotional outcomes. Regarding literature selection, this article uses “Advance Directives”, “Psycho-Oncology” and “Autonomy” as keywords in Google Scholar and Web of Science Core Collection for document search. The author verified the abstract and keywords of all searched articles and included only articles that are related to the topic. Findings: The absence of nationwide AD legislation in China creates psychological distress for cancer patients because families and clinicians frequently disregard patient choices, which results in moral distress and conflicts. Conclusion: The implementation of ADs represents a vital necessity to enhance the quality of psychological care for patients with cancer within China. A culturally appropriate AD framework would enable cancer patients to gain control while decreasing their psychosocial distress and following international human rights standards. The author advocates the implementation of ADs within psychosocial assessments and cancer care protocols to overcome patient autonomy barriers in both systemic and cultural contexts.

A meta-analysis of the impact of empowerment-based psychological models on postoperative rehabilitation in breast cancer patients

Qiuqi Feng, Lu Zhang, Xiaoyan Wang, Xiaolei Tang, Longju Qi — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Objective: To investigate the impact of empowerment-based psychological models on the postoperative recovery of patients with breast cancer through a meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP Information, and international databases like PubMed. The literature search was carried out from the establishment of the database up to July 3, 2025. Collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the impact of the empowerment psychological model on the postoperative rehabilitation of breast cancer patients, and conduct a Meta - analysis using RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 10 articles were incorporated in this study, covering 1432 patients, among which 716 patients were assigned to the observation group. The meta-analysis results revealed that versus the control group, the observation group showed lower anxiety scores [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (−1.69)–(−0.84), P < 0.001], lower depression scores [SMD = −1.33, 95% CI = (−1.68)–(−0.97), P < 0.001], higher resilience scores (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.55–1.85, P < 0.001), and higher self-efficacy scores (SMD = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.04–2.65, P = 0.040). Conclusion: The empowerment-based psychological model can improve breast cancer patients’ anxiety and depression after surgery, enhance their mental resilience and self-efficacy, and thus promote postoperative recovery.

A study on the intervention path of rhythmic cheerleading on body image distress and mental health in female cancer patients

Mengjiao Yu, LI WANG, QI LIU, Xueshao Zhang — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study systematically explored the effectiveness, mechanisms, and current status of rhythmic cheerleading interventions for body image distress and psychological well-being in female cancer patients, utilizing a scoping review and bibliometric analysis. The study analyzed literature indexed in the Web of Science (WOS) core database from 2005 to 2024. A multi-stage screening process ultimately identified 40 core articles, which were analyzed from three perspectives: bibliometric characteristics, intervention mechanisms, and research limitations. Bibliometric results revealed a strong interdisciplinary focus in this area, with rapid growth from 2012 to 2019. Key themes focused on exercise and physical activity interventions (40%) and dance and movement therapy interventions (35%). Analysis of intervention mechanisms revealed that rhythmic cheerleading, leveraging its four key characteristics of rhythm, teamwork, expressiveness, and enjoyment, synergistically works through a triple mechanism of "physiological regulation, psychological reconstruction, and social support." Physiologically, synchronized movements activate endorphins, serotonin release, and HPA axis regulation, alleviating treatment-related fatigue and anxiety. Psychologically, artistic expression promotes identity reconstruction, helping patients shed the "patient" label. Socially, teamwork fosters support networks and reduces social avoidance. The study also identified limitations in the current field, including low-level evidence, insufficient personalized and culturally adaptable intervention programs, and in-depth analysis of neurobiological mechanisms. This study provides evidence-based support for academic research and clinical application of rhythmic cheerleading in the field of psychological rehabilitation for female cancer patients. Future research is needed through multicenter randomized controlled trials, the development of tiered intervention models, and the application of neuroimaging technology to further refine the intervention approach and promote its adoption as an effective and sustainable cancer rehabilitation intervention.