The significance of a specific psycho-oncology outpatient service for cancer patients run by psychosomatic medical doctors

[Abstract] Background : The field of psycho-oncology has been developed by psychiatrists in consultationliaison fields, and the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sakai Hospital, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine set up a new outpatient service for cancer patients. The primary aim of this paper is to clarify the role of psychosomatic medical doctors in cancer treatment and clinical practice, and the secondary aim is to clarify the significance of this special outpatient service for cancer patients from the viewpoint of psycho-oncology. Methods : Multiple factors, such as age, sex, cancer site, clinical symptoms, the reason for consultation, psychiatric diagnosis, in which department patients were having physical treatment, whether they were hospitalized and whether patients were taking palliative care therapy, were analyzed. Results : The data of fifty-eight cancer patients, including two family members of cancer patients, were analyzed. The most common psychiatric disorders were major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders and adjustment disorders. The reasons for consultation ranged from psychological support after receiving bad news, before/after surgery and chemotherapy to control delirium. Our psycho-oncological intervention involved a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Conclusions : Psychosomatic medical doctors can play an important role in the field of cancer treatment through psycho-oncological activities. The advantages of a specific outpatient service for psycho-oncology are that it can open the door to patients and their families who belong to other departments/hospitals and it can support cancer patients intensively and efficiently. However, improvements are needed, particularly relating to financing and understaffing.