Annual Report 2023
Department of Psycho-Oncology
Full-time staff psycho-oncologist: Hiromichi Matsuoka, Rika Nakahara, Takatoshi Hirayama, Ryoichi Sadahiro, Yosuke Uchitomi, Saho Wada
Full-time staff psychologist: Yuko Yanai, Yuko Ogawa, Ayako Kayano
Part-time staff psychologist: Kyoka Ogata, Nano Miashima, Sayaka Jinno
Introduction
The Department of Psycho-Oncology was reestablished in September 1995, together with the establishment of the Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute East (reorganized to Division of Psycho-Oncology, Research Center for Innovative Oncology in 2005). One of the most important clinical activities of the department is the management of cancer patients’ behavioral and social problems as well as their psychological distress. Furthermore, this division’s aim is to alleviate the distress of patients, patients’ families and our staff. Our research activity is focused on studying the psychosocial influence of cancer on the quality of life of patients, their families, and oncology staff.
The Team and What We Do
The Department of Psycho-Oncology consists of six full-time staff psycho-oncologists, one part-time psychiatrist, three full-time staff psychotherapists and four part-time psychotherapists. The department provides two major services: a clinic for outpatients (five days a week) and consultation for referred inpatients. The purpose of the psychiatric consultation is to diagnose and treat the mental distress and cancer-related psychological problems of patients who have been referred by their attending physicians. Since 1999, the department has played an active role as a member of the palliative care team. There is a palliative care team meeting with other members of the team every Tuesday. Additionally, a multicenter joint clinical teleconference to discuss difficult cases is held biweekly on Thursday evenings with staff members from 6 cancer center hospitals and 4 university hospitals.
In 2023, a total of 2,102 patients were referred for psychiatric consultation (Table 1). The mean age was 64.3 years, and 61.7% of the referrals were inpatients. Females accounted for 986 (46.9%) of the whole referred patients (Table 1). The most common cancer referrals were patients with head and neck cancer (12.1%), followed by lung cancer (11.7%), esophageal cancer (9.4%), colon cancer (8.8%) and breast cancer (7.2%).
Table 1. Psychiatric Consultation Data in 2023 (n=2,102)
Research Activities
In collaboration with the Department of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, we are planning to develop a psychological support program for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ("transplant") survivors. This year, we are publishing a retrospective study at our center using pre-transplant assessment and medical records of patients who have used psycho-psychological support, with the aim of identifying psychological issues (e.g., psychological characteristics and support needs) among allogeneic transplant patients.
A semi-structured interview survey of 40 AYA cancer patients at our hospital was conducted and a screening tool for determining distress and supportive care needs of AYA cancer patients in Japan was developed based on the Distress Thermometer and Problem List of the NCCN®. We have suggested the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the screening tool, and published a paper on the results. Furthermore, a psychosocial support program using the screening tool was developed, and a multicenter observational study was conducted at 8 institutions in Japan. The feasibility and effectiveness of the program were suggested, and the results are currently being published.
Clinical Trials
We planned advanced medical care, a clinical trial with the aim of adding prevention of delirium to the insurance indication for ramelteon, which was deemed suitable. Plans were also made to develop biomarkers to predict the efficacy of ramelteon and the onset of delirium, and a new AMED research grant was obtained. In addition, as a companion study to the clinical trial to prevent delirium using yokukansan, a biomarker to predict the efficacy of yokukansan is being developed with Tsumura Corporation under the support of the AMED.
Education
We are working to develop educational programs for psycho-oncologists, pharmacists, nurses, and psychologists. In the future, we intend to establish a training system that enables doctors, psychotherapists, and other professionals involved in psychiatric oncology to learn systematically and contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of cancer patients in Japan by producing specialists in psychiatric oncology throughout the country.
Future Prospects
We are now developing an ideal system of early palliative care for all cancer patients.
List of papers published in 2023
Journal
1. Akechi T, Furukawa TA, Noma H, Iwata H, Toyama T, Higaki K, Matsuoka H, Zenda S, Iwatani T, Akahane K, Inoue A, Sagara Y, Uchida M, Imai F, Momino K, Imaizumi G, Yamaguchi T, Mashiko T, Miyaji T, Horikoshi M, Sakurai N, Onishi T, Kanemitsu Y, Murata T, Wanifuchi-Endo Y, Kuroda H, Nishikawa R, Miyashita M, Abe M, Uchitomi Y. Optimizing smartphone psychotherapy for depressive symptoms in patients with cancer: Multiphase optimization strategy using a decentralized multicenter randomized clinical trial (J-SUPPORT 2001 Study). Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 78:353-361, 2024
2. Ohashi K, Nishito Y, Fukuda H, Sadahiro R, Yoshida Y, Watanabe SI, Motoi N, Sonobe Y, Mizuno H, Tsunoda H, Tatsumi K, Suzuki T, Ochiai A, Aoki K. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a prognostic factor reflecting immune condition of tumor microenvironment in squamous cell lung cancer. Scientific reports, 14:429, 2024
3. Hirayama T, Ishiki H, Yanai Y, Horiguchi S, Sugisawa A, Sato J, Kojima R, Sato K, Mizuta T, Kojima R, Udagawa R, Kojima Y, Satomi E. Feasibility of an Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Tool for Screening Distress and Supportive Care Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, 13:138-146, 2024
4. Hirayama T, Kojima R, Udagawa R, Mashiko Y, Matsumoto K, Ogata K, Shindo A, Mizuta T, Ogawa Y, Kayano A, Yanai Y, Ishiki H, Satomi E. Preliminary Effectiveness of an In-Hospital Peer Support Program, Adolescent and Young Adult Hiroba, on Anxiety in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Cancer. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, 13:224-232, 2024
5. Hasuo H, Mori K, Matsuoka H, Sakuma H, Ishikawa H. An Estimation Formula for Resonance Frequency Using Sex and Height for Healthy Individuals and Patients with Incurable Cancers. Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 49:125-132, 2024
6. Hirayama T, Igarashi E, Wada S, Sadahiro R, Oshikiri H, Suzuka M, Sato Y, Utsumi Y, Sakuma A, Nakahara R, Imai T, Tomita H, Matsuoka H. Concomitant use of hydroxyzine and haloperidol did not worsen delirium in patients with cancer: A multicenter, retrospective, observational study. Palliative & supportive care, 1-8, 2024
7. Matsuda Y, Hasuo H, Narita K, Matsuoka H, Morita R, Kiuchi D, Ikari T, Hori T, Okazaki K, Sakai K, Aiki S, Okabayashi H, Oyamada S, Ariyoshi K, Tokoro A, Fukunaga M. Relationship between dyspnoea and related factors in patients with cancer: a cross-sectional study. BMJ supportive & palliative care, 13:e1126-e1132, 2024
8. Matsuoka H, Tsurutani J, Chiba Y, Fujita Y, Sakai K, Yoshida T, Nakura M, Sakamoto R, Makimura C, Ohtake Y, Tanaka K, Hayashi H, Takeda M, Okuno T, Takegawa N, Haratani K, Koyama A, Nishio K, Nakagawa K. Morphine Versus Oxycodone for Cancer Pain Using a Catechol-O-methyltransferase Genotype Biomarker: A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Clinical Trial (RELIEF Study). The oncologist, 28:278-e166, 2023
9. Hirayama T, Ogawa Y, Ogawa A, Igarashi E, Soejima S, Hata K, Utsumi Y, Mashiko Y, Ogata K, Kayano A, Yanai Y, Suzuki SI. Behavioral activation for depression in patients with advanced cancer: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial. BMC cancer, 23:427, 2023
10. Matsuda Y, Tanimukai H, Inoue S, Hirayama T, Kanno Y, Kitaura Y, Inada S, Sugano K, Yoshimura M, Harashima S, Wada S, Hasegawa T, Okamoto Y, Dotani C, Takeuchi M, Kako J, Sadahiro R, Kishi Y, Uchida M, Ogawa A, Inagaki M, Okuyama T. A revision of JPOS/JASCC clinical guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients: a summary of recommendation statements. Japanese journal of clinical oncology, 53:808-822, 2023
11. Sadahiro R, Matsuoka LN, Zeng BS, Chen KH, Zeng BY, Wang HY, Chu CS, Stubbs B, Su KP, Tu YK, Wu YC, Lin PY, Chen TY, Chen YW, Suen MW, Hopwood M, Yang WC, Sun CK, Cheng YS, Shiue YL, Hung CM, Matsuoka YJ, Tseng PT. Black cohosh extracts in women with menopausal symptoms: an updated pairwise meta-analysis. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 30:766-773, 2023
12. Uchida M, Furukawa TA, Yamaguchi T, Imai F, Momino K, Katsuki F, Sakurai N, Miyaji T, Horikoshi M, Iwata H, Zenda S, Iwatani T, Ogawa A, Inoue A, Abe M, Toyama T, Uchitomi Y, Matsuoka H, Noma H, Akechi T. Optimization of smartphone psychotherapy for depression and anxiety among patients with cancer using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) framework and decentralized clinical trial system (SMartphone Intervention to LEssen depression/Anxiety and GAIN resilience: SMILE AGAIN project): a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 24:344, 2023
13. Sadahiro R, Hatta K, Yamaguchi T, Masanori E, Matsuda Y, Ogawa A, Iwata Y, Tokoro A, Nakahara R, Hirayama T, Yanai Y, Ogawa Y, Kayano A, Ariyoshi K, Oyamada S, Uchitomi Y, Akechi T, Yamamoto N, Okita N, Yorikane E, Shimada K, Furukawa T, Hashimoto H, Maeda M, Sato T, Sekimoto A, Sasaki C, Saito E, Uezono Y, Matsuoka H. A multi-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ramelteon for the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly cancer patients: a study protocol for JORTC-PON2/J-SUPPORT2103/NCCH2103. Japanese journal of clinical oncology, 53:851-857, 2023
14. Sri-Iesaranusorn P, Sadahiro R, Murakami S, Wada S, Shimizu K, Yoshida T, Aoki K, Uezono Y, Matsuoka H, Ikeda K, Yoshimoto J. Data-driven categorization of postoperative delirium symptoms using unsupervised machine learning. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14:1205605, 2023
15. Hirayama T, Ogawa Y, Yanai Y, Shindo A, Tanaka M, Suzuki SI. Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation for Patients with Cancer and Depression in Japan. Palliative medicine reports, 4:150-160, 2023
16. Fujita Y, Matsuoka H, Chiba Y, Tsurutani J, Yoshida T, Sakai K, Nakura M, Sakamoto R, Makimura C, Ohtake Y, Tanaka K, Hayashi H, Takeda M, Okuno T, Takegawa N, Haratani K, Takahama T, Tanizaki J, Koyama A, Nishio K, Nakagawa K. Novel single nucleotide polymorphism biomarkers to predict opioid effects for cancer pain. Oncology letters, 26:355, 2023
17. Yamaguchi J, Hirayama T, Sadahiro R, Nakahara R, Matsuoka H. Delirium due to Trousseau syndrome treated with memantine and perospirone: A case report. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports, 2:e159, 2023