Psycho-Oncology Service
History
Cancer has a high prevalence and high mortality everywhere in the world. The psycho-oncology area faces the condition of emotional distress caused by cancer, through a multi-disciplinary approach focusing its attention on patients, relatives and care-givers.
Psycho-Oncology is a complex medical and psychological discipline based on the integration of various professionals.
It is the area of the "relationship" and "presence", expressed in oncology and as well as in various other disciplines (e.g. Clinical Psychology, Consultation Psychiatry, Palliative Medicine) through specific programs of care to cancer patients.
Psychiatry has an important role in this field and many Mental Health Departments, both abroad and more recently, in Italy have established services in connection with Oncology Departments and, generally, with various disciplines caring cancer patients (e.g. Gynaecology, Haematolgy. Surgery).
Over the last few years, Psycho-Oncology has shown to be extremely active in research, education and clinical care.
Based on these core values, the Psycho-Oncology Service of the University of Ferrara was established in 1992 as one of the first in Italy in a general and teaching hospital setting. Moreover, the Psycho-Oncology service is set in the International Directory of Psycho-Oncology Programs, developed in cooperation with the International Society of Psychosocial Oncology (IPOS).
How to reach the Service
The Service is located in the S.Anna Hospital, within the Section of Psychiatry, Unit of Clinical Psychiatry (Tel +39 0532 237129; Fax +39 0532 212240).
Mission
The service has the specific mission of increasing the attention of all health-care organizations to the psycho-oncological area and requesting their intervention in the various types of psychological disorders that involves cancer patients and their relatives.
More specifically, the primary objectives of the Psycho-Oncology Service are:
- to properly evaluate and treat psycho-social morbidity secondary to cancer - with the aim of improving cancer patients’ quality of life at every stage of the disease;
- to support families during their relative’s illness, and, if need be, after loss;
- to set up training programmes in order to improve communication skills and recognition of psychological distress secondary to cancer. Such courses are designed for general practitioners, oncologists, nurses and volunteers.
Organization
Psychiatrists, psychologists and a data-manager work for the Psycho-Oncology Service. The unit works in collaboration with the Unit of Clinical Oncology and other Units (Surgery, Radio-therapy, Haematology, Gynaecology) at the S. Anna General and University Hospital. All of these units work in synergy to provide the utmost care for the cancer patient. The activity of the Service is integrated with the the Community Services (i.e., Family Medicine, Child Psychiatry Services, Psychiatry Services of the Mental Health Department, Volunteer Associations) in the development of care projects for cancer patients and their families (Psycho-Oncology Programme 2003 - 2005).
Documents
The Psycho-Oncology programs have become more widespread and common in the past few years. Essential documents and algorithms on the organization and interventions (i.e., prevention, evaluation and treatment) have been recently issued by the Service. The guidelines developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) (Guidelines for Supportive Care - Distress Management) are particularly useful for clinical purposes and are used on a routine basis in the Oncology Outpatient and Inpatient services. Equally important are the Italian Society of Psycho-Oncology (SIPO) guidelines, set in 1998 and presently under revision and translated into English.
Moreover, the Psycho-Oncology Service organizes various training courses as a part of the educational activities of the Section of Psychiatry. These programs may be accessed at anytime at the University of Ferrara website in the "Eventi e News" area. The Psycho-Oncology unit, under the direction of the European Community, activated in 2002 a specific site of Psycho-Oncology in the Italian web-journal Psychiatry on-line. The site is available in English. Research articles, clinical experiences, literature abstracts, interviews to representative personalities in psycho-oncology area, and reviews are regularly updated.
