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More than 10 studies have shown that supportive-expressive psychotherapy reduces distress and improves emotion regulation in patients with metastatic cancer. However, evidence that such treatments also prolong survival has been inconsistent. In a three-site, controlled trial, researchers randomized 125 women with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer to supportive-expressive group psychotherapy or to no psychotherapy for at least 1 year. Treatment assignment was stratified by location of metastasis, estrogen-receptor status, disease-free interval, and type of systemic treatment. All participants received self-directed educational materials.
There were no overall between-group differences in survival (psychotherapy, 30.7 months; control, 33.3…