Vol. 19 No. 3 (2025)

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 3654

Effects and mechanisms of CBT-based psychological nursing for anxiety/depression in diabetes-pancreatic cancer patients

by Yan Zhang, Xue Yin, Meng Wang, Yaling Chen, Yuan Zhu

Psycho-Oncologie, Vol.19, No.3, 2025; 8 Views

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated by pancreatic cancer is associated with a high prevalence of anxiety and depression, yet current treatments predominantly focus on physiological management. Consequently, there is an urgent need for effective psychological nursing interventions to address emotional distress and improve overall patient outcomes. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the impact of psychological nursing interventions grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on alleviating anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who are also facing complications from pancreatic cancer. Additionally, we aim to examine the cognitive regulation mechanisms involved in this process. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was carried out with 78 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who also had pancreatic cancer. The participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group, each consisting of 39 individuals. The control group received standard medical care and routine nursing, while the intervention group participated in a 12-week cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) psychological nursing intervention alongside standard care, followed by a 12-month follow-up. Various factors, including anxiety, depression, cognitive regulation strategies, quality of life, self-efficacy, and clinical indicators, were evaluated at baseline, after the intervention, and during the follow-up period. The effectiveness of the intervention was analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The patients in the intervention group experienced a marked reduction in anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) scores when compared to the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a notable enhancement in cognitive regulation abilities, as evidenced by higher scores on the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and lower scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) relative to the control group (p < 0.001). Over time, both quality of life (measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30) and self-efficacy (assessed by the GSES) scores showed significant improvement, with clear distinctions between the two groups (p < 0.001). Furthermore, clinical indicators such as fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and CA19-9 levels demonstrated more substantial improvements in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: CBT psychological nursing significantly alleviated anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with T2DM complicated by pancreatic cancer, optimized cognitive regulation mechanisms, improved quality of life and self-efficacy, and indirectly enhanced metabolic and tumor marker levels. These findings underscore its significant clinical application value.

Open Access

Review

Article ID: 4292

Problems of psychological assistance to patients with neurofibromatosis type I

by R. N. Mustafin

Psycho-Oncologie, Vol.19, No.3, 2025; 7 Views

Neurofibromatosis type I is one of the most common hereditary tumor syndromes and is characterized by the development of multiple skin and subcutaneous tumors on the body, disfiguring the appearance of patients. The literature search strategy on psychological care for patients with neurofibromatosis type I included searching for relevant articles in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Half of patients with neurofibromatosis type I develop plexiform neurofibromas, which can compress internal organs, deform the face or limbs, and impair self-care and social adaptation. Surgical methods are used to treat cutaneous and subcutaneous neurofibromas, but the number of these tumors is increasing, causing serious psychological trauma to patients. In this regard, common problems of patients with neurofibromatosis type I, in addition to tumor damage, are psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and distress. These disorders worsen the quality of life of patients and require qualified psychological assistance. This article examines the nature and frequency of psychological disorders in patients with neurofibromatosis type I, as well as problems associated with the availability of psychological assistance. Measures are proposed for the timely identification of distress, anxiety and depression in patients and their treatment with routing for consultations with the necessary specialists. An analysis of the scientific literature shows a lack of publications in the field of research into the psychological problems of patients with neurofibromatosis type I compared to cancer patients. Future directions of research in this area should involve active involvement of department staff, psychotherapists and psychologists in the examination of patients with neurofibromatosis type I throughout the world.

Open Access

Review

Article ID: 3744

Effects of a computer-based applications intervention on anxiety, depression and quality of life among lung cancer patients: A systematic review and meta‑analysis

by Qingmei Ju, Kim Lam Soh, Putri Binti Yubbu, Yang Liu

Psycho-Oncologie, Vol.19, No.3, 2025; 0 Views

Objectives: Lung cancer is associated with higher anxiety and depression than other cancers, accelerating the deterioration of the quality of life (QoL). There is a limited comprehensive evaluation about computer-based intervention (CBI) which uses technological approaches to manage these issues. This meta-analysis sought to evaluate the efficacy of CBI in mitigating anxiety and depression while enhancing quality of life among lung cancer patients. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines; it has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023397575). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to 31 December 2024 were searched from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and the Embase database. The primary outcomes assessed were quality of life, anxiety, and depression. The results are presented as standardized mean differences (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 3018 patients were included in 12 randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome of this meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference between CBI and usual care, significantly improved QoL (SMD = 3.92, 95% CI: 2.36 to 5.47, p < 0.00001, I² = 97%), anxiety (SMD: −0.63, 95% CI: −1.04 to 0.22, p = 0.002, I² = 79%) and depression (SMD: −0.47, 95% CI: −0.57 to −0.36, p < 0.00001, I² = 0%). Conclusions: Computer-based applications intervention has been demonstrated to significantly reduce anxiety and depression and improve QoL among lung cancer patients.