PSYCHO ONCOLOGY
The department provides standard and quality psycho-social care to the cancer patients and integrates psycho-social services as part of the cancer care at the Institute.
Introduction
Two & half decades ago, seven likeminded philanthropists started a psychosocial service to cancer patients at the Cancer Institute through the support group ‘SANCTUARY’. Later, in 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of India supported the Cancer Institute (WIA) in establishing the Tobacco Cessation Center (TCC), which offers psychological therapies for tobacco de-addiction by trained psychologists. Likewise, in 2002, with the WHO’s initiative, a palliative care clinic was created at the Cancer Institute (WIA) where a psychologist started offering therapy to ease the suffering and enhance the quality of life (QOL) of patients at an advanced stage of the disease along with the medical team. In recent years, more scientific research in the field of psycho-oncology has been initiated at the Cancer Institute along with other clinical departments. Moreover, educational and training activities were also started.
Studies on the coping preferences of head & neck cancer patients and the standardization of a QOL Questionnaire and Psychological intervention to improve Quality of Life of Head & Neck cancer patients have been carried out. In 2003 the assessment of the neuro-cognitive sequelae of children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia was started. Currently the department offers Ph.D., & M. Phil. courses in Psycho-oncology. The department provides psycho-social support to the cancer patients at the institute and organizes support group meetings through which group counseling is offered for different sets of patients. The department also undertakes many initiatives for the primary prevention of cancer among the youth and public. Currently, a full-fledged Psycho-oncology department functions at the institute with the following objectives:
- To provide standard and quality psycho-social care to the cancer patients and integrate psycho-social services as part of the cancer care at the Institute.
- To equip psychology professionals to carry out comprehensive psychological evaluations of cancer patients and apply a range of psychological intervention for them.
- To enhance the quality of life of the patients through psycho-social interventions.
- To create a large pool of professional psycho-oncologists to meet the psycho-social needs of cancer patients at various centres in the country.
- To sensitize the oncology professionals to the psycho-social needs of the cancer patients and assist them to cater to these needs.
- To close the wide gap between current scientific knowledge and actual clinical care of patients.
- To build the scientific knowledge in the field of psycho-oncology based on the Indian population by undertaking vigorous researches.
Emergency Cases
Please feel welcome to contact our friendly reception staff with any general or medical enquiry call us.
Opening Hours
Registration Time
Visiting Hours
Education & Training
The Department offers:
- Ph.D. in Psycho-oncology (Affiliated to University of Madras)
- M. Phil. in Psycho-oncology (Affiliated to University of Madras).
- Training and Internship for psychology, oncology and social work students at post graduate level.
- Project placement at the post graduate level.
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M.Phil in Psycho-oncology
Entry requirement
The minimum educational requirement for admission to this course will be an M.A. / M. Sc. degree in Psychology from a university recognized by the UGC with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate. For SC/ST category, minimum of 50% marks in aggregate is essential, as per GOI.
Duration
This is a full time clinical training course providing opportunities for appropriate practicum and apprenticeship experiences for one academic year.
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Staff
| NAME | EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION | DESIGNATION |
| Dr.V. Surendran | Asst. Professor | |
| Mr. Divyaraj Prabakar | Psychologist | |
| Ms. Deepika | Psychologist |
Research
- The quality of life among younger women with breast cancer - Study from a tertiary Cancer Institute in South India.
- The quality of life and reproductive outcomes of patients treated for Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia.
- The quality of life of Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor Survivors
- Neuro-cognitive, Psychological, Behavioral and Educational Sequelae in Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
- Quality of Life of Head and Neck and Upper Aero-digestive Cancers before and after surgery.
- Cognitive, Neuropsychological, and Educational Sequelae in Survivors of Acute Lymphoplastic Leukemia. Proposal submitted to ICMR as part of the Ph.D. programme by Mr. C. Sundaramoorthy, Research Scholar.
- Neuropsychological, Behavioral and Educational Sequelae in Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Radiological Correlation. Proposal submitted to Department of Science and Technology, under Cognitive Science Initiative - 2009.
- Quality of Life of Long Term Breast Cancer Survivors in India- Proposal submitted to Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology under Joint Science & Technology Programme 2009.
Patient Care
Counseling and comprehensive psychological intervention is given to cancer patients before and after treatment. In addition, many students from different colleges with backgrounds in psychology or social work visit the cancer institute on a regular basis to do their internship as part of their curriculum. These interns are given a wide clinical exposure in the field of psycho-oncology.
In addition to this, there are four support groups conducts meetings regularly at the Cancer Institute, namely:
‘SMILE’ for children with cancer and their families,
‘Sakhi’ for breast cancer patients,
Laryngectomees Welfare Association for the larynx cancer patients.
Tobacco Free Association for the nicotine addicts.
Group counseling and psycho-educational programs are the part of the support group meetings. These meetings are conducted in a monthly basis.
Quick Contacts
Please feel free to contact our friendly staff with any medical enquiry.
- Emergency Line: (044) 2220 9150
- No:38, Sardar Patel Road, Adyar, Chennai - 20
- Registration Time - 7AM to 11AM
