AUGUST 20188sycho-Oncology is the science of understand-ing and managing the psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and functional aspects of cancer. It is a `whole-person' approach to can-cer care that addresses a range of human needs that can improve quality of life for those affected by cancer. The psycho-oncologist/psychologist works as an inte-gral part of the multidisciplinary team to clinically un-derstand the disease and psychologically make sense of its intricacies to the patient community.This specialty addresses two major psychological dimensions of cancer: (1) the psychological response of patients and their families; and (2) the psychological, behavioral and social factors that may influence the disease process.Regardless of the prognosis, research indicates that one-third of individuals diagnosed with cancer expe-rience severe psychological distress and up to 70 per-cent exhibit some degree of anxiety and depression. Thus, healthcare systems today, have a duty to transi-A comprehensive cancer care hospital network, Bangalore-based Cytecare spans over 1,60,000 sq. ft. and features a 150-bed capacityPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY: UNLOCKING THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE MINDBy Suresh Ramu, Co-Founder & CEO, Cytecare Cancer HospitalIN MY OPINIONP
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