Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Islam-based Therapy for Psychiatric Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Adherence to Treatment with Stage-II & III Cancer Patients. A Randomized Control Trial

When a person receives a diagnosis of cancer, the battle is fought on two fronts. One front is physical, involving medicines and procedures designed to stop the disease. The other front is internal, where the mind must cope with fear, sleeplessness, and the heavy weight of uncertainty. For decades, doctors have known that a patient's mental state can influence their physical recovery. When the mind is overwhelmed by anxiety or depression, it becomes harder to follow medical advice, to sleep, and to maintain the strength needed for treatment. In recent years, scientists have begun to explore whether specific types of talking therapies can help patients navigate this emotional turmoil. Two distinct approaches have gained attention: one that helps people change the negative thought patterns that fuel distress, and another that draws strength from a patient's own religious faith. The question researchers have been asking is whether these methods, used alone or together, can actually improve the daily lives of people fighting cancer and help them stick to their treatment plans.

A team of researchers in Pakistan set out to answer this question by conducting a large, careful study at a major hospital in Faisalabad. They focused on patients who had been diagnosed with stage two or stage three cancer, a point in the disease where the illness is serious but still treatable. The researchers recruited two hundred people who were seeking treatment at the hospital. From this group, they identified one hundred and four individuals who were struggling with psychiatric symptoms like depression, anxiety, or trouble sleeping, but who did not have severe, pre-existing mental health disorders that would require different care. Specifically, the study excluded anyone suffering from other psychological disorders that met full diagnostic criteria, focusing only on those with brief psychiatric symptoms related to their cancer. These participants were then randomly assigned to one of four groups. One group received Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a method that teaches people to identify and change unhelpful thinking habits. A second group received Islam-based Therapy, which integrated Islamic teachings and spiritual practices into the counseling sessions to provide comfort and meaning. A third group received a combination of both therapies. The fourth group, known as the control group, received no psychological therapy during the study period, allowing the researchers to see if the treatments made a real difference compared to doing nothing.

The study ran for sixteen weeks. During this time, the three groups receiving therapy attended weekly sessions that lasted between thirty and forty-five minutes. The therapists worked with each patient individually, helping them set goals, manage their daily routines, and practice relaxation techniques. The participants in the therapy groups were asked to keep diaries and complete homework assignments to reinforce what they learned. Throughout the process, the researchers measured the patients' mental health at the beginning and at the end of the sixteen weeks. They used standard questionnaires to check for symptoms of depression, loss of confidence, insomnia, and anxiety. They also measured how much the patients feared death, how well they felt their quality of life had improved, and how faithfully they were taking their prescribed cancer medications.

The results showed a clear and significant difference between the patients who received therapy and those who did not. By the end of the study, the groups that received Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Islam-based Therapy, or both had seen a dramatic reduction in their symptoms. Their levels of depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness dropped sharply. Perhaps most notably, their fear of death decreased, and they reported feeling more supported by their communities and families. In contrast, the patients in the control group, who waited for treatment, showed no such improvement; their scores on these measures remained largely the same. The study also found that the therapy helped patients adhere to their medical treatments. Those who received counseling were more likely to take their medication as prescribed and to follow their doctors' instructions, suggesting that a calmer, more hopeful mind makes it easier to manage the physical demands of cancer care.

The researchers noted that Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Islam-based Therapy both demonstrated promising outcomes in managing psychiatric problems, with the study concluding that both interventions are reliable treatment options for addressing mental health issues among cancer patients. The findings suggest that addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of cancer patients is not just a matter of comfort, but a vital part of their overall care. By helping patients find ways to cope with their fear and anxiety, these therapies appear to strengthen their ability to fight the disease. The study concludes that integrating psychological support with standard medical treatment can lead to better outcomes for patients, helping them maintain their daily routines and sustain the motivation needed for recovery. While the study was limited to patients in a single hospital and focused on specific stages of cancer, the results offer a promising path forward for how medical teams can support the whole person, not just the illness.