Impact of Emotional and Psychological Support on Treatment Adherence in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Keywords:
Adherence to treatment, emotional support, psychological interventions, oncology, systematic reviewAbstract
Introduction: Emotional and psychological support is an essential component in cancer care since cancer patients face high levels of stress, anxiety and depression, which are factors that can compromise their adherence to treatment. In this context, psycho-emotional interventions have emerged as strategies aimed at improving both quality of life and therapeutic compliance.
Objective: To evaluate the impact of psycho-emotional interventions on adherence to cancer treatment through a systematic review of the scientific literature.
Material and Methods: A systematic review was carried out following the guidelines of the PRISMA protocol, using the PICOS model to define the eligibility criteria. The search was carried out in the Scopus and Web of Science databases on 28/08/2025, identifying 121 studies. The review and selection of studies was carried out by two independent researchers. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 44 studies that met the established requirements were selected.
Results: Breast cancer was the most studied type, followed by gynecological, lung, gastrointestinal and hematological cancers. The frequent and effective interventions were multicomponent, combining psychotherapy, psychoeducation, emotional regulation techniques and social support. Regarding the impact of these interventions, most studies reported direct and indirect positive effects on adherence, associated with lower therapeutic abandonment, greater adherence to regimens, and reduction of psychological symptoms.
Conclusions: Psycho-emotional interventions are a key strategy to promote adherence in oncology. However, it is necessary to strengthen the evidence through consistent, longitudinal studies with greater population diversity. This analysis seeks to provide valuable evidence for health professionals, researchers and health policy makers.
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