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

Background/Objectives: 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. Methods: 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). Results: 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: p = 0.002, η2 = 0.73; FACIT-Fatigue: p = 0.014, η2 = 0.47; FACIT-F: p = 0.002, η2 = 0.74), social/family well-being (p = 0.015, η2 = 0.46), functional well-being (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.102), with a large effect size and resilience mean scores (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.069), and anxiety mean scores (p = 0.005, η2 = 0.060), with a medium effect size. Conclusions: This study revealed that compared with nonparticipants, participants in the 10-week interdisciplinary program benefited more from the program.