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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Apr 14;31(5):266.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-07732-4.

The role of integrated psychological support in breast cancer patients: a randomized monocentric prospective study evaluating the Fil-Rouge Integrated Psycho-Oncological Support (FRIPOS) program

Cristina Civilotti #  1   2 , Diana Lucchini #  3   4 , Gianluca Fogazzi  5 , Fabrizio Palmieri  6 , Alice Benenati  6   7 , Alberto Buffoli  7 , Veronica Girardi  8 , Nella Ruzzenenti  9 , Alessia Di Betta  2 , Edoardo Donarelli  1 , Fabio Veglia  1 , Giulia Di Fini  10 , Gabriella Gandino  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The role of integrated psychological support in breast cancer patients: a randomized monocentric prospective study evaluating the Fil-Rouge Integrated Psycho-Oncological Support (FRIPOS) program

Cristina Civilotti et al. Support Care Cancer. .

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the effects of Fil-Rouge Integrated Psycho-Oncological Support (FRIPOS) in a group of women with breast cancer compared with a group receiving treatment as usual (TAU).

Methods: The research design was a randomized, monocentric, prospective study with three time points of data collection: after the preoperative phase (T0), in the initial phase of treatments (T1), and 3 months after the start of treatments (T2). The FRIPOS group (N = 103) and the TAU group (N = 79) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) at T0; the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ) C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 at T1; and SCL-90-R, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC QLQ-BR23 at T2.

Results: A series of independent and paired t tests showed that patients in the FRIPOS group performed better on all scales related to symptomatic manifestations and on some quality of life scales (fatigue, dyspnea, and sleep disturbances) at T2. In addition, a series of ten multiple regressions were performed to predict each SCL subscale at T2 from the SCL score at T0 and the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores at T2. In nine of ten regression models (all except somatization), both FRIPOS group membership and QoL subscale contributed significantly to prediction.

Conclusions: This study suggests that patients in the FRIPOS group have more benefits in emotional, psychological, and collateral symptoms than patients in the TAU group and that these improvements are due to integrated psycho-oncology care.

Keywords: Anxiety; Breast cancer; Depression; Integrative care; Psycho-oncology; Support.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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