Rottmann, N., Dalton, S.O., Bidstrup, P.E., Wurtzen, H., Hoybye, M.T., Ross, L., . . . Johansen, C. (2012). No improvement in distress and quality of life following psychosocial cancer rehabilitation. A randomised trial. Psycho-Oncology, 21, 505–514.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a residential rehabilitation course for patients with cancer in decreasing psychological distress

Patients who had completed cancer treatment were randomly assigned to receive either usual care or a six-day residential psychosocial course. Those in the residential group had weekly rehabilitation courses in groups of 20. Course activities included education, supportive talks, physical activity, relaxation, massage, social activities, peer discussions, and dietary instruction. At the end of the course, individuals created a personal action plan to reinforce what was learned. Data were collected at baseline and at 1, 6, and 12 months after completion of the intervention.

• The study reported on a sample of 394 patients.
• Mean patient age was 61 years (range = 39–82 years).
• The sample was 64.4% female and 32.2% male.
• Patients had diagnoses of breast, prostate, or colon cancer.
• Average time since diagnosis was 15 months (range = 2.5–28.1 months).
• Of the sample, 48% were employed, 47.5% had higher than youth education, and 72% were married or cohabiting.

• Single site
• Other setting
• Denmark

Transition phase of care after initial treatment

Randomized controlled trial

• Profile of Mood States Short Form
• EORT QLC-C30

At one-month time point, findings revealed significantly more improvement in anxiety (p = 0.03), total mood disturbance (p = 0.04), emotional role function (p = 0.02), and cognitive functioning (p = 0.0009) in the control group. At the six-month time point, a significantly improved outcome for the control group was also found for depression (p = 0.005) as well as sustained improvement in anxiety (p = 0.003), total mood disturbance (p = 0.02), emotional role function (p = 0.04), and cognitive functioning (p = 0.03).

The residential rehabilitation course studied did not have a positive effect on anxiety, depression, or cognitive functioning. In this study, the control group improved more over time than those who received the intervention.

• The study had a risk of bias due to no blinding and no appropriate attentional control condition.
• This type of residential program or intervention would require training and be expensive and impractical for many individuals. It is not clear if participants incurred any costs to participate.
• Usual care was not described.
• Measurement for cognition was one item on a subjective measure.
• There was 13% attrition at time of six-month follow-up testing.

 This study suggests that an intensive residential program for cancer survivors, as examined, was of no benefit.