As part of the project, a "DNA bank" for cancer patients has also been established, which will open new avenues for treating psycho-emotional disorders. Despite the clear need for psychological support for cancer patients during the diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation stages, there remains a shortage of oncology psychologists and a lack of clear protocols for providing psychological assistance to patients, their relatives, and medical staff, who are at risk of emotional burnout.
In this regard, scientists and doctors from the National Medical Research Center of Oncology, together with specialists from the Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy of Southern Federal University, conducted a unique study aimed at exploring the psychosocial and genetic factors affecting the psycho-emotional state of cancer patients.
More than 350 adult cancer patients of both sexes with various localizations of malignant tumors participated in the study. Over 100 of them received individual and group psychological support during the crisis period of diagnosis, cancer treatment, and the recovery of lost functions.
“We have developed recommendations for creating a legislative initiative project to include mandatory psychological and psychotherapeutic assistance in the treatment protocol for cancer patients, taking into account mono- and comorbidity. The project team has also contributed to the study of genetic and psychosocial aspects that influence the effectiveness of psychotherapy for cancer patients. This topic is particularly relevant: if the effectiveness of psychological interventions is scientifically confirmed, their availability could significantly increase for various groups of citizens in need,” noted the project leader, Doctor of Biological Sciences, academician of the Russian Academy of Education, and professor at the Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy of Southern Federal University Pavel Ermakov.
For three years, scientists from Southern Federal University, specifically Associate Professor Ekaterina Kovsh and graduate student Lyudmila Zvereva, worked on the project under the guidance of Doctor of Biological Sciences, academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Professor Pavel Ermakov, as well as scientists and doctors from the Federal State Budgetary Institution "National Medical Research Center of Oncology" of the Ministry of Health of Russia, led by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Deputy Director Alexey Maximov.
One of the most significant results of the study was the establishment of a connection between genetic markers and the psycho-emotional state of patients. It was found that the genotypes of neurotransmitter systems may play an important role in how patients experience their illness, what psychopathological symptoms appear in them, and how they respond to psychological support. Special attention was paid to studying the factors of neuroplasticity – the brain's ability to adapt and change during psychotherapeutic intervention.
The implementation of the project also made it possible to create a unique DNA bank of cancer patients with different psychological and dermatoglyphic characteristics, levels of anxiety-depressive symptoms, and dynamics of psycho-emotional state during psychological support. This resource will serve as a foundation for further research aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of how genetics affects patients' psychological states and will aid in developing personalized methods of psychological support.
In the future, scientists plan to expand their research to include medical personnel and relatives of cancer patients who also require psychological support. Additionally, a whole genome analysis will be conducted, which will allow for an expanded list of genes associated with the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic work. The results of the project “Study of Psychosocial and Genetic Factors of the Psycho-Emotional State of Cancer Patients During Psychological Support in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic,” supported by a Russian Science Foundation grant, have already been presented at international conferences and published in scientific journals.
The latest publication was featured in the “Russian Psychological Journal.” Undoubtedly, they will continue to contribute to the development of personalized medicine and psychotherapeutic assistance for cancer patients. Furthermore, the results have been integrated into the curriculum for specialty 37.05.01 – Clinical Psychology, and are already being utilized in the educational process for teaching subjects such as “Clinical Psychology,” “Psychosomatics and Psychiatry,” and “Supervision in Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy.”