Group Interventions for Patients with Cancer and HIV Disease: Part II. Effects on Immune, Endocrine, and Disease Outcomes at Different Phases of Illness

There has been great interest in the potential impact of group interventions on medical outcomes. This article reviews the effects of professionally-led groups on immune activity, neuroendocrine function, and survival among patients with cancer or HIV disease. We examine findings concerning different types of group services at different phases of illness. Results are mixed, but the most prominent changes in immune and endocrine activity were associated with structured group interventions for patients with early-stage disease. These findings offer provocative illustrations of relevant mind-body interactions, but their clinical importance has yet to be demonstrated empirically. Group interventions have not been tied consistently to improved survival rates for patients with advanced cancer; few studies as yet have focused on survival outcomes among patients with early-stage cancer or HIV disease.