Psychological support of esophageal cancer patient?

Important questions are still open about psychological aspects in esophageal cancer (EC) and about the related psychological support. How to cope with the cancer diagnosis and poor prognosis: a psychological counselling may be a valid option to personalize the communication to patients with a poor prognosis. How to cope with long chemoradiotherapy: after neoadjuvant therapy, patients know that curative process is not completed, and they perceive the severity of the neoadjuvant side effects, considering themselves “fragile” and far from a healthy condition before the major surgery they are going to undergo. Therefore, this is a particularly crucial point when psychological support may be useful. How to cope with change of nutritional habits: esophagectomy for cancer strongly impairs nutritional function in the early postoperative period and feeding Jejunostomy impairs emotional function. How to cope with sleep disturbances: most cancer patients report disturbed sleep after cancer diagnosis and/or following cancer treatment. Psychological intervention aims to identify underlying concerns worsening sleep quality. How to cope with postoperative complications: the occurrence of such complications reduces patient’s satisfaction and has a negative effect on doctor-patient relationship. How to cope with long-term functions impairment: EC patients need a plan for the future.