Effects on long-term survival of psychosocial group intervention in early-stage breast cancer: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The promise of prolonged survival after psychosocial interventions has long been studied, but not convincingly demonstrated. This study aims to investigate whether a psychosocial group intervention improved long-term survival in women with early-stage breast cancer and investigate differences in baseline characteristics and survival between study participants and non-participants.

METHODS: A total of 201 patients were randomized to two six-hour psychoeducation sessions and eight weekly sessions of group psychotherapy or care as usual. Additionally, 151 eligible patients declined to participate. Eligible patients were diagnosed and treated at Herlev Hospital, Denmark, and followed for vital status up to 18 years after their primary surgical treatment. Cox's proportional hazard regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for survival.

RESULTS: The intervention did not significantly improve survival in the intervention group compared with the control group (HR, 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.41-1.14). Participants and non-participants differed significantly in age, cancer stage, adjuvant chemotherapy, and crude survival. When adjusted, no significant survival difference between participants and non-participants remained (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.53-1.11).

CONCLUSIONS: We could not show improved long-term survival after the psychosocial intervention. Participants survived longer than nonparticipants, but clinical and demographic characteristics, rather than study participation, seem accountable for this difference.