Abstract
It is reported that common psychiatric disorders in cancer patients are adjustment disorder and major depression, and that multiple factors contribute to the development of these disorders. Effectiveness of antidepressants for major depression in cancer patients have been clarified by several randomized clinical controlled trials. In addition, psychotherapies are also suggested to be useful for reducing psychological distress experienced by cancer patients. It is reported that early detection of psychiatric disorders is important in the clinical oncology setting. These findings suggest that individually tailored comprehensive intervention including early detection and identifying underlying causes of psychological distress, pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is a promising strategy for ameliorating psychological distress in cancer patients. National Cancer Center developed the patient support program as an individually tailored multifaceted intervention.
