EMDR and CBT for Cancer Patients: Comparative Study of Effects on PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

Abstract

This pilot study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment compared with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in oncology patients in the follow-up phase of the disease. The secondary aim of this study was to assess whether EMDR treatment has a different impact on PTSD in the active treatment or during the followup stages of disease. Twenty-one patients in follow-up care were randomly assigned to EMDR or CBT groups, and 10 patients in the active treatment phase were assigned to EMDR group. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were used to assess PTSD at pretreatment and 1 month posttreatment. Anxiety, depression, and psychophysiological symptoms were also evaluated. For cancer patients in the follow-up stage, the absence of PTSD after the treatment was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving EMDR rather than CBT. EMDR was significantly more effective than CBT in reducing scores on the IES-R and the CAPS intrusive symptom subscale, whereas anxiety and depression improved equally in both treatment groups. Furthermore, EMDR showed the same efficacy both in the active cancer treatment and during the follow-up of the disease.

Efficacy of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) intervention for a head and neck cancer patient with intolerable anxiety undergoing radiotherapy

“…This result is in line with previous observations that show that, even if both approaches are effective in oncology, EMDR demonstrated efficacy within the first six sessions. 7,8 Main limitations of this case are that causality cannot be inferred from an uncontrolled observation; therefore, findings from case reports cannot be generalized. Moreover, HADS total score was still clinically significant at last session, and its related issues needed reprocessing performed during following sessions.…”

“…The delay reduction is known to be essential to prevent tumor progression and improve final oncological outcome. This result is in line with previous observations that show that, even if both approaches are effective in oncology, EMDR demonstrated efficacy within the first six sessions …”

“…To date, there are few studies indicating the similar effectiveness of EMDR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intervention (CBT) in treatment of anxiety, depression, and post‐traumatic stress disorder in cancer, with EMDR resulting faster in improving symptoms. In literature, there is only one case report of an H&N‐C patient with panic during RT successfully treated with CBT …”

“…4 EMDR has been used in H&N-C client group to help patients to cope with this overwhelming medical diagnosis 5 and in glioblastoma multiforme patients, a population especially prone to co-occurring anxiety. 6 To date, there are few studies indicating the similar effectiveness of EMDR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intervention (CBT) in treatment of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in cancer, 7,8 with EMDR resulting faster in improving symptoms. In literature, there is only one case report of an H&N-C patient with panic during RT successfully treated with CBT.…”

“…In literature, there is only one case report of an H&N-C patient with panic during RT successfully treated with CBT. 9 Given that EMDR has proven effective in resuming personal control over aspects experienced as unmanageable in cancer patients and is focalized on present difficulties related to the different stages of the disease, 7,8 we decided to treat with EMDR cancer protocol a patient with intolerable anxiety undergoing RT delivery. was 10 ("extremely anxious").…”