Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Shuanghan Yu; Yantong Liu; Minglu Cao; Qi Tian; Mengmeng Xu; Lin Yu; Shu Yang; Wei Zhang

doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001274

Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Cancer Nurs. 2023 Aug 8. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001274. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shuanghan Yu¹, Yantong Liu, Minglu Cao, Qi Tian, Mengmeng Xu, Lin Yu, Shu Yang, Wei Zhang

Affiliation

¹ Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.

PMID: 37552227
DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001274

Abstract

Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) is a relatively new therapy with unknown effectiveness in patients with cancer. In addition, therapist-guided and self-guided ICBT patient-specific outcomes for cancer patients remain to be explored.

Objective: To explore the effects of ICBT on psychological outcomes, physical outcomes, and daily life outcomes in patients with cancer.

Methods: Electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO, ProQuest, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for relevant studies published from their inception to October 2022. Five GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) considerations were used to assess the quality of relevant evidence. Data analysis was performed via RevMan 5.4 (The Cochrane Collaboration, London, United Kingdom) and Stata 15.0 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas).

Results: Three thousand two hundred forty-nine participants from 20 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Statistically significant effects of ICBT were found on psychological distress, quality of life (QOL), anxiety, and depression, after the intervention. A separate analysis of follow-up data showed that ICBT had a sustainable effect on psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. Subgroup analyses showed that therapist-guided ICBT was more effective for psychological distress and QOL.

Conclusion: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy can improve symptom management for patients with cancer.

Implications for practice: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy effectively improves psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in patients with cancer after intervention and at follow-up. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy improved QOL for cancer patients postintervention but not during follow-up. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy did not relieve fatigue or fear of recurrence in cancer patients. Therapist-guided ICBT is recommended for its superior outcomes in alleviating psychological distress and improving overall QOL in adults with cancer when compared with self-guided ICBT.