Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer

Journal/Book: Lancet. 1989; 888-891.

Abstract: The effect of psychosocial intervention an time of survival of 86 patients with metastatic breast cancer was studied prospectively. The 1 year intervention consisted of weekly supportive group therapy with self-hypnosis for pain. Both the treatment (n = 50) and control groups (n = 36) had routine oncological care. At 10 year follow-up, only 3 of the patients were alive, and death records were obtained for the other 83. Survival from time of randomisation and onset of intervention was a mean 36-6 (SD 37-6) months in the intervention group compared with 18-9 (10-8) months in the control group, a significant difference. Survival plots indicated that divergence in survival began at 20 months after entry, or 8 months after intervention ended.

Keyword(s): Plazebo

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