Psycho-oncology as a specialty and the certification of the psycho-oncologist as a profession

Abstract Decades of research has confirmed that good quality comprehensive cancer care must have psycho-oncology included as an essential component of the clinical team. There are, however, issues that should be considered. First, although a number, but not all, of National Cancer Plans around the world define the presence of psycho-oncology as mandatory in cancer centers, its implementation varies greatly across countries, with well-developed psycho-oncology services in some, to poorly developed or totally absent services in others. Second, the standards of training for the psycho-oncologist and the health care professionals entitled to be a certified psycho-oncologist have not been clarified. Again, some countries have approved ministerial criteria for the education and certification in psycho-oncology, while others do not have any specific legislation. Therefore, if we expect psycho-oncology to be recognized as an official specialty, it is essential to establish core-curricula for a certified accreditation of the profession of the psycho-oncologist, with possible different levels of specialization according to the different organization of health and university educational systems across countries and continents. For example, a first level could involve mental health care professionals that, having completed a formal specialty in psycho-oncology, are certified as clinical psycho-oncologists (or psycho-oncology psychotherapists), and a second level that could include those, who, after completing training courses, are professionals skilled in psycho-oncology.