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Benefits of a brief psychological intervention targeting fear of cancer recurrence in people at high risk of developing another melanoma: 12‐month follow‐up results of a randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Dieng M.,
Morton R.L.,
Costa D.S.J.,
Butow P.N.,
Menzies S.W.,
Lo S.,
Mann G.J.,
Cust A.E.,
Kasparian N.A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.17990
Subject(s) - medicine , randomized controlled trial , psychological intervention , anxiety , quality of life (healthcare) , confidence interval , depression (economics) , clinical trial , odds ratio , physical therapy , cancer , intervention (counseling) , skin cancer , psychiatry , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Summary Background People with melanoma want and need effective interventions for living with fear of cancer recurrence ( FCR ). Objectives This study reports the 12‐month outcomes of a brief, psychological intervention designed to reduce FCR in people at high risk of developing another primary melanoma compared with usual care. Methods In this two‐arm randomized controlled trial, adults previously diagnosed with stage 0, I or II melanoma were randomly allocated to the intervention ( n = 80) or control (usual care) arm ( n = 84). The trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on 19 March 2013 (registration: ACTRN 12613000304730). The intervention comprised a 76‐page psychoeducational resource and three individually tailored, telephone‐based sessions with a psychologist, scheduled at specific time points around participants’ dermatological appointments. The primary outcome was the level of self‐reported fear of new or recurrent melanoma assessed at 12 months postintervention using the severity subscale of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory. Results Compared with the control arm, the intervention group reported significantly lower FCR at 12 months postintervention; the between‐group mean difference was −1·41 for FCR severity [95% confidence interval ( CI ) −2·6 to −0·2; P = 0·02] and −1·32 for FCR triggers (95% CI −2·6 to −0·02; P = 0·04). The odds ratio for FCR severity scores ≥13 (54% intervention, 63% control) was 0·59 (95% CI 0·30–1·14, P = 0·12). There were no differences between groups in secondary outcomes, such as anxiety, depression or health‐related quality of life. Conclusions The previously reported 6‐month benefits of this brief, patient‐centred psychological intervention in reducing FCR were found to continue 12 months postintervention, with no known adverse effects, supporting implementation as part of routine melanoma care.