Abstract PS5-04-22: Interventions to Improve Hope and Psychosocial Outcomes in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Abstract Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide and continues to be a significant cause of cancer-related morbidity. Beyond the physical burden of disease and treatment, patients can experience psychosocial distress that affects their overall well-being. Hope, defined as the capacity to maintain goal-directed thinking and motivation in the face of adversity, has the potential to be a strong protective factor in oncological care. Evidence suggests that higher levels of hope are associated with improved psychological adjustment, greater quality of life, and enhanced coping during cancer care. Among patients with breast malignancies, interventions that aim to increase levels of hope may reduce distress and improve psychosocial outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and perceived treatment efficacy. Objective: To systematically review interventions designed to improve hope in adults with breast cancer. Methods: Major databases including Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched through July 2025. Inclusion criteria were adults with breast cancer undergoing an intervention designed to improve hope. Outcomes included hope measured by a validated hope scale, anxiety, depression, and treatment perceptions. English language randomized controlled trials, prospective or retrospective comparative studies, single-arm pre-post intervention studies were included. Abstracts and full texts were doubly screened and included manuscripts extracted and summarized. Risk of bias assessment was performed using ROB2 and ROBINS-I. Results: 42,111 abstracts screened, 61 full texts screened, and 39 studies included representing 2412 patients with breast cancer across a variety of geographical locations. Hope interventions included nursing-based crisis intervention and psychological interventions. The meta-analysis shows a significant overall effect of hope interventions on Snyder Hope Scale scores (Hedges’ g = -1.63, 95% CI -2.24 to -1.01, p < 0.001). Both intervention and control groups had changes, but the intervention group improved significantly more (group difference test, p = 0.05). Across studies, outcomes consistently demonstrated improvements in hope levels for patients undergoing hope-based interventions. Conclusions: This systematic review illustrates that hope-focused interventions are associated with consistent improvement in hope and psychosocial outcomes for patients with breast malignancy compared with routine care. Citation Format: R. L. Hoover, A. S. Kaminsky, A. Trees, B. Suarez, P. Shah, C. Carlton, K. Tepper, B. Roberts, C. L. Grimes, M. Cohen. Interventions to Improve Hope and Psychosocial Outcomes in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS5-04-22.