Psychological Flexibility Based, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-Related Pain (Dnr: 2021/00499)

Each year, more than 8,000 individuals are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden. Approximately 30-40% will develop persistent symptoms of pain as a consequence of the cancer or its treatment. Persistent pain can contribute to increased feelings of fatigue, sleep difficulties, low mood, anxiety and a fear of cancer returning. All of these difficulties are known to negatively impact day-to-day functioning, quality of life, and adherence to long-term cancer treatments. Pharmacological treatments for cancer-related pain are moderately effective over the short term but increase the risk of negative side effects and are ineffective for pain lasting more than a few months. Pain-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (PF-CBT) is the recommended treatment for chronic pain generally but there is still limited evidence for its efficacy specifically for cancer-related pain. In addition, PF-CBT is usually provided in specialist pain clinics that do not have the capacity to admit patients with cancer-related pain. This program of research aims to better understand the psychological variables that influence cancer-related pain, as well as the individual's experience and needs regarding pain treatment in Sweden, and to use this information to develop and test a new treatment specifically adapted for adults with Cancer, and which can be delivered outside of specialist pain clinics with supports from primary care. The research program helps to fill several gaps in the scientific literature and to ultimately to add a cost-effective treatment for cancer-related pain that can be delivered via the internet with minimal supports from primary care providers. The first study in this program of research is a survey of cancer patients and survivors, which is ongoing (Dnr 2021-00499). The research program is led by Professors Sean Perrin (Department of Lund University) and Lance McCracken (Uppsala University) and includes Dr Marcelo Rivano (Docent, Chief of the Pain Rehabilitation Clinic, Lund Univ Hospital), Dr Joana Duarte (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, Lund Univ) and Frida Björkstrand (PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Lund Univ). For further information, contact sean.perrin@psy.lu.se