Annual Report 2024
Department of Psycho-Oncology
Full-time staff psycho-oncologist: Hiromichi Matsuoka, Rika Nakahara, Ryoichi Sadahiro, Junji Yamaguchi, Tatsuto Terada, Saho Wada, Eri Nishikawa
Full-time staff psychologist: Yuko Yanai, Yuko Ogawa, Ayako Kayano, Emi Takeuchi
Part-time staff psychologist: Nano Mishima, Satoshi Watanabe, Sayaka Jinno, Kazuko Matsumoto
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 seven full-time staff psycho-oncologists, four 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 to 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 Wednesday. 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 2024, a total of 2,093 patients were referred for psychiatric consultation (Table 1). The mean age was 63.8 years, and 66.0 percent of the referrals were inpatients. One thousand and sixty-five (50.9%) of all referred patients were female. The most common cancer referrals were patients with head and neck cancer (14.4%), followed by lung cancer (12.2%), esophageal cancer (8.8%), pancreatic cancer (7.3%) and breast cancer (7.3%).
Table 1. Psychiatric Consultation Data in 2024 (n=2,093)
Research Activities
We conducted an Advanced Medical Care B clinical trial funded by AMED with the aim of adding delirium prevention to the indications for ramelteon, and successfully completed enrollment of 766 patients. In addition, as an ancillary study to the clinical trial on delirium prevention using Yokukansan, published in FY2020, we are developing biomarkers to predict the efficacy of Yokukansan in collaboration with Tsumura & Co. under the support of AMED.
Currently, a pilot randomized controlled trial of a behavioral activation therapy program is being conducted in four domestic institutions targeting cancer patients with depression in Japan. Of the target sample size of 38 patients, 21 have been enrolled. In the preceding single-center pre–post comparison study, feasibility and preliminary efficacy were demonstrated, and the results have already been published in an international journal.
Clinical Trials
An Advanced Medical Care B clinical trial aimed at adding delirium prevention to the indications for ramelteon, as well as an international collaborative trial of pregabalin and duloxetine for pain, were conducted with funding from AMED. A pilot randomized controlled trial using a behavioral activation therapy program for patients with depression is currently underway.
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 to 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 2024
Journal
1. Hasuo H, Ishiki H, Matsuda Y, Matsuoka H, Kosugi K, Xing M, Akiyama Y, Matsumoto Y, Ishikawa H. Trigger point injections for myofascial pain in terminal cancer: a randomized trial. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 26:14-21, 2025
2. Yamaguchi J, Sadahiro R, Wada S, Nishikawa E, Terada T, Nakahara R, Matsuoka H. Development of cefepime-induced encephalopathy in a patient with depression and rectal cancer: A case report. Neuropsychopharmacology reports, 45:e12502, 2025
3. Fujita Y, Matsuoka H, Chiba Y, Tsurutani J, Yoshida T, Sakai K, Nakura M, Sakamoto R, Makimura C, Ohtake Y, Tanaka K, Hayashi H, Takahama T, Tanizaki J, Koyama A, Nishio K, Nakagawa K. Dual single‑nucleotide polymorphism biomarker combination for opioid selection to treat cancer pain. Molecular and clinical oncology, 22:14, 2025
4. Matsuoka H, Morita T, Ishiki H, Satomi E. A literature review of management for opioid-refractory neuropathic cancer pain: an update and future perspectives. AME Medical Journal, 10:2025
5. 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
6. Yamaguchi J, Sadahiro R, Hirayama T, Wada S, Nakahara R, Matsuoka H. Severe behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia successfully treated at home with a blonanserin transdermal patch: A case report. Neuropsychopharmacology reports, 44:474-478, 2024
7. Kawasaki N, Ishiki H, Arakawa S, Satomi E, Matsuoka H, Hasuo H. Myofascial pain syndrome in patients with cancer: a narrative review. BMJ supportive & palliative care, spcare-2024-005064, 2024
8. Matsuoka H, Takeuchi E, Kato M. Physical symptoms in prolonged grief disorder: a case report. Annals of palliative medicine, 13:1530-1536, 2024
9. Yamaguchi J, Sadahiro R, Wada S, Nishikawa E, Terada T, Nakahara R, Matsuoka H. A case report of benzodiazepine withdrawal delirium due to accidental discontinuation of benzodiazepines in cancer perioperative period. PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 3:e70026, 2024
10. Asai M, Ogawa Y, Hirayama T, Sukigara N, Yoshikawa E, Furutani S, Fujimori M, Akechi T, Suzuki S. Behavioral activation program for reducing depressive symptoms among the bereaved of cancer patients: A feasibility and preliminary effectiveness study in Japan. Palliative & supportive care, 23:e8, 2024