Meaning-based interventions for patients with advanced cancer

Individuals living with advanced cancer often experience severe psychosocial distress. Such distress can reflect a state of existential suffering. Data on psychological and existential issues in patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) syndrome are limited; however, a number of psycho-oncological interventions have been recently developed which are specifically tailored to patients with incurable cancer and severe psychological distress. A distinct feature of these approaches is their applicability in oncological and palliative care settings. Their effectiveness has further been tested in randomized controlled trials. One effective individual therapeutic intervention is managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM) which can reduce distress in coping with uncertainty and a foreshortened life expectancy. We briefly describe an example of therapeutic treatment.