World Psycho-Oncology Day: Experts demand psychosocial care for cancer patients

Bengaluru: On World Psycho-Oncology Day 2025, a roundtable of experts convened to stress the critical need for integrating psycho-oncology into standard cancer treatment, given that 60% of patients endure severe mental distress.

The event — 'A Stakeholders Round Table Deliberation on Integrating Psychosocial Care into Mainstream Cancer Management' — was jointly hosted by Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) and the Centre of Psycho-Oncology for Education and Research (COPER), with support from the Global Healthcare Academy.

The roundtable brought together prominent oncologists, psycho-oncologists, patient advocates, healthcare administrators, and policymakers to highlight the emotional and psychological dimensions of cancer care.

Speaking at the event, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said psychosocial care is an invaluable component of cancer treatment. “While immediate policy integration may face administrative constraints, the need for such services is unquestionable. These support systems must become a part of routine care as medicine moves towards a more holistic approach, one that balances physical treatment with emotional well-being,” the minister said.

"The government remains open to suggestions and partnerships that can help integrate these services into our healthcare framework, making care more compassionate and complete,” Rao told the expert panel.

The objective of the roundtable was to recognise psychosocial care as an indispensable part of cancer treatment. Various international bodies and cancer care guidelines have recognised emotional well-being as the sixth vital sign, alongside temperature, heart rate, respiration, pain, and blood pressure.

Oncologist Dr Vishal Rao said that cancer patients who are also smokers sometimes experience adverse withdrawal symptoms such as violent outbursts — and in such cases, psycho-oncology plays a vital role in preventing mishaps. “Once, a patient tried to attack another patient in the same ward due to nicotine withdrawal. We see such extreme cases,” he added.

He also highlighted the importance of cancer prevention through tobacco reduction programmes, noting that Karnataka had achieved a 5.2% reduction in tobacco use.

Dr Naveen T, In-charge Director of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, said that oncology training must include the psychological aspects of cancer. “Not only doctors but nurses, too, should be trained in psychosocial care,” he said.

Commenting on the fact that mental health aspects are missing from the charter for patient rights, he noted, “There is a lack of awareness about these subjects. As we build awareness and mental healthcare becomes more affordable, it will be incorporated,” he added.