Psycho-oncology: Bridging mental health and cancer care in modern medicine

Kanchan Upadhyay; Raunak Kumar Tamrakar; Sunil Kumar; Suraj Butoliya

doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2025.152024

Psycho-oncology: Bridging mental health and cancer care in modern medicine

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2026 Feb:60:152024. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2025.152024. Epub 2025 Nov 30.

Authors

Kanchan Upadhyay¹, Raunak Kumar Tamrakar², Sunil Kumar³, Suraj Butoliya⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Physics, Bhilai Institute of Technology (Seth Balkrishan Memorial), Near Bhilai Power House, Durg, 491001, Chhattisgarh, India.
² Department of Applied Physics, Bhilai Institute of Technology (Seth Balkrishan Memorial), Near Bhilai Power House, Durg, 491001, Chhattisgarh, India. Electronic address: raunak.ruby@gmail.com.
³ Department of Management, Bhilai Institute of Technology (Seth Balkrishan Memorial), Near Bhilai Power House, Durg, 491001, Chhattisgarh, India. Electronic address: s.kushwaha@bitdurg.ac.in.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Shri Ramdeobaba College of Engineering and Management, Nagpur, 440013, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: butoliyass@rknec.edu.

PMID: 41864698
DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2025.152024

Abstract

Psycho-oncology integrates psychological care into oncology to address distress, improve adherence, and enhance quality of life, yet its nursing-led applications remain underexplored.

Purpose: This systematic review synthesizes evidence on psycho-oncological interventions and their implications for psychiatric/mental health nursing practice, incorporating recent advancements from 2023 to 2025.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus from January 2015 to November 2025.

Inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed articles in English on psycho-oncological interventions, psychological distress, or nursing roles in cancer care.

Exclusions: case reports, non-empirical studies, pre-2015 publications. Quality appraisal used the MMAT tool for methodological rigor.

Results: Seventy-five studies were included. Key interventions (CBT, MBSR, SSRIs) reduce distress (moderate to strong evidence), with emerging data on mind-body therapies for pain relief and global prevalence of survivor mental health issues. Nursing-led screening, communication training, and caregiver support improve outcomes. Barriers include stigma and resource gaps, particularly in MENA regions.

Conclusions: Psycho-oncology supports mental health nursing through distress screening, intervention delivery, and advocacy, contributing to more integrated care models. Limitations include reliance on English-language publications and potential publication bias, which may limit generalizability. Future research should focus on longitudinal trials and equity in low-resource settings.

Keywords: Cancer care; Holistic care; Nursing practice; Psycho-oncology; Psychological distress; Psychosocial interventions; Survivorship care.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Mental Health
Neoplasms* / psychology
Neoplasms* / therapy
Psychiatric Nursing*
Psycho-Oncology*
Quality of Life
Stress, Psychological* / therapy