The study found that breast cancer patients who participate in intervention sessions focusing on improving mood, coping effectively, and altering health behaviours live longer than patients who do not receive such psychological support.

Cancer patients undergo a significant amount of stress before, during, and after treatment. Many researchers say that providing mental health services in addition to cancer care may improve patients’ health and even prolong their survival. But studies linking psychotherapy to improved survival have previously had inconsistent results.

To test the idea, Dr. Barbara L. Andersen and colleagues at The Ohio State University conducted a study with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients that tested whether receiving psychological support could reduce the negative effects of stress and ultimately change the course of a patient’s disease.

Previous tests have shown that the intervention significantly improved psychological, behavioral, and health outcomes and enhanced immunity.

The investigators followed the 227 patients who had been treated for regional breast cancer for an average of 11 years, noting any cancer recurrences. Overall, they found that cancer recurred in 29 percent of the women – but that the women who did not receive emotional support were more than twice as likely to experience cancer recurrence.

The study also found patients receiving the intervention had less than half the risk (44 percent) of death from breast cancer compared to those who did not receive the intervention, and had a reduced risk of death from all causes, not just cancer.