Impact of an Interdisciplinary Integrative Group-Based Program for Patients with Cancer: Prospective, Nonrandomized Intervention Study with a Waiting-List Control

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Cancer is a disease with a rising global incidence each year, and an interdisciplinary approach for both its treatment and care is needed. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 10-week interdisciplinary integrative oncology group-based program for patients with cancer on quality of life, fatigue, resilience, well-being, anxiety and depression. <b>Methods</b>: This prospective, nonrandomized intervention, waiting-list control group study evaluated the quality of life, fatigue, resilience, anxiety, depression and well-being of a total of 128 patients with cancer (intervention group: n = 86; waiting-list control group: n = 42) at baseline (week 0) and at the end of the observation period (week 10). <b>Results</b>: Compared with patients in the waiting-list group, patients who participated in a 10-week interdisciplinary integrative group program during or after cancer treatment had positive effects on quality of life, social/family well-being, functional well-being, resilience, fatigue, and anxiety. Specifically, significant time × group effects were observed on (FACT-G: <i>p</i> = 0.002, <i>η</i>² = 0.73; FACIT-Fatigue: <i>p</i> = 0.014, <i>η</i>² = 0.47; FACIT-F: <i>p</i> = 0.002, <i>η</i>² = 0.74), social/family well-being (<i>p</i> = 0.015, <i>η</i>² = 0.46), functional well-being (<i>p</i> < 0.001, <i>η</i>² = 0.102), with a large effect size and resilience mean scores (<i>p</i> = 0.003, <i>η</i>² = 0.069), and anxiety mean scores (<i>p</i> = 0.005, <i>η</i>² = 0.060), with a medium effect size. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study revealed that compared with nonparticipants, participants in the 10-week interdisciplinary program benefited more from the program.