Adjuvant psychological therapy for patients with cancer.

Cancer-related psychosocial morbidity has been documented in a substantial minority of patients. In some patients, such morbidity persists for many years even when they are free of disease. Consequently, methods of reducing psychosocial morbidity by psychological treatment should be investigated. We describe Adjuvant Psychological Therapy (APT)--a brief treatment programme designed specifically for patients with cancer. APT is currently being evaluated in a randomized, controlled study at The Royal Marsden Hospital.