Oncologists emphasised that approximately 65 percent of people with cancer experience severe distress, underscoring the necessity of incorporating psychosocial support into standard treatment protocols.
Published Apr 24, 2025 | 1:45 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 24, 2025 | 1:45 PM
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare along with Dr Brindha Sitaram, Group Director of Psycho-oncology services, HCT and Founder-Director of COPER along with other panellists. (Supplied)
Synopsis: On World Psycho-oncology Day 2025, experts in Bengaluru called for integrating mental health into cancer care. Backed by alarming distress and suicide data, stakeholders urged psycho-oncology to be treated as essential, not optional. Survivors, doctors, and officials stressed holistic healing and government support, aiming to embed emotional care into mainstream cancer treatment across Karnataka and India.
On World Psycho-oncology Day 2025, Bengaluru became the stage for a powerful shift in India’s cancer care conversation. Doctors, policymakers, and survivors came together to stress one message: Mental health support must become part of cancer treatment.
On Wednesday, 23 April, a Stakeholders Round Table Deliberation on “Integrating Psychosocial Care into Mainstream Cancer Management” was jointly hosted by Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG) and the Centre of Psycho-oncology for Education and Research (COPER), with support from Global Healthcare Academy.
“It’s not just about treating the tumour; it’s about treating the person” : This sentiment was echoed during the roundtable discussion on integrating psychosocial care into mainstream cancer management.
The experts called for making psycho-oncology — the mental health arm of cancer care — a standard part of treatment in Karnataka and across India.
Psycho-oncology is a specialised field that addresses the emotional, behavioural, and psychological impact of cancer on people with cancer and their families. Far from being just counselling, it’s a science-based clinical practice that supports people with cancer through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or even end-of-life care.
“Psycho-oncology is not just about talking therapy, it’s driven by evidence-based interventions grounded in scientific models,” said Dr Brindha Sitaram, Group Director of Psycho-oncology Services at HCG and Founder-Director of COPER. “It must be embedded into standard care,” the doctor added.
Citing an example of how that worked, Dr Brindha shared that the clinical impact of behavioural and psychological interventions for children undergoing radiation therapy without sedation or anaesthesia has now become an institutional protocol at HCG. “Behavioural and emotional support provided to paediatric radiation patients at HCG reduced the need for anaesthesia. With targeted psychosocial interventions, children now undergo radiation therapy awake and calm,” she noted.
At the round table, leading oncologists, psycho-oncologists, patient advocates, and policymakers emphasised the need to embed psycho-oncology into routine cancer care. They made the suggestion based on data and daily clinical realities.
Further, the following global and Indian studies, regarding the distress in people with cancer, were cited at the round table:
Experts called for recognising emotional well-being as the “sixth vital sign” and urged systematic training for healthcare providers to detect distress early. The discussion also pushed for insurance and public health schemes to cover mental health, substance abuse, and de-addiction services. Addressing stigma around seeking emotional support was a key focus.
“A patient’s journey is more than physical recovery,” said Dr BS Ajaikumar, Executive Chairman, HCG, stressing psycho-oncology’s role in building emotional resilience.
During the round table, voices from survivors, caregivers, and clinicians highlighted the deep emotional toll of cancer and the urgent need for psychosocial care.
Cancer survivor Shilpa described the illness in three emotional stages— pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment, all of which require support.
“Being called a patient itself causes distress,” she shared, adding that invasive procedures, tubes, and lack of communication can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Vidya, who lost her fiancé after a nine-year relationship, spoke of how psychosocial support throughout the journey—from diagnosis to bereavement—helped her cope and heal. “Now happily married,” she said, “she credits therapy for her emotional resilience.
Barriers to psychosocial care, such as stigma, cost, institutional gaps, and lack of awareness were a key concern. Dr Vishal Rao, Head and Neck surgical oncologist at HCG noted that in head and neck cancer cases, addiction plays a huge role, and counselling can help people with cancer understand consequences and manage withdrawal.
Pavitra, representing , Dr BS Srinath, managing trustee and chairman, surgical Oncology, Sri Shankara cancer Hospital emphasised that even the less privileged benefit from such support, and should be encouraged to try it, even if they think they don’t need it.
Dr Shabber Zaberi, chairman, surgical oncology at Manipal hospital added that psycho-oncologists not only eases the emotional burden on patients but also help reduce burnout among oncologists by managing difficult conversations and emotional strain.
Karnataka’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, attended the round table as chief guest and shared his personal connection to the issue, having lost his father to cancer at the age of 56.
“I was 22 or 23 when he passed away,” he recalled, and added, “My father had acute myeloid leukaemia. His sister and his mother also passed away from cancer. That’s when I realised that treatment isn’t just about medication, it’s about the entire approach, the whole support system.”
“There is no real argument for it to be not used. When we discuss treatment and procedures and well-being and health, everything is becoming more and more holistic. It’s not just about getting the right treatment; it’s also about how we approach it in a holistic manner.”
The minister further emphasised the government’s openness to actionable inputs from professionals, “I would request Dr Brindha also, that as the government, tell us what you expect us to do. We can try and incorporate those things. We can look at what we can do, if any specific suggestion is given by you or anybody over here, we will definitely have an open mind.”
Dr Brindha emphasised that the round table is just the beginning, “These discussions will shape clinical training, institutional policies, and national advocacy. Our goal is to ensure that psycho-oncology becomes part of India’s cancer care framework — public and private alike.”
The larger aim is to transform how India treats cancer: Not just with cutting-edge drugs and radiation, but with compassion, mental health support, and holistic care.
“No quality cancer care is complete without addressing the psychosocial needs of patients,” Dr Brindha concluded, “Seeking help from a mental health professional is not a sign of weakness. It is a mark of strength.”
(Vedika Thorat is currently pursuing BA in Journalism and English from Christ University.)
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
