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Psycho-Oncology Research Group

Background

The Psycho-Oncology Research Group was formed in 2002 to support research in this emerging area. The primary investigator is Dr. Sue Burney who is based in the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University Caulfield campus.

Group members include the following Monash University staff and associates.

  • Dr. Sue Burney, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine
  • Associate Professor Mark Frydenberg, Head, Department of Urology, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne
  • Associate Professor Jeremy Millar, Head, Radiation Oncology, William Buckland Institute, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne
  • Emeritus Professor Kim T. Ng, Former Head, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine
  • Dr Fiona Newton, Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University
  • Dr Addie Wootten, Clinical Psychologist/Private Practitioner, Department of Urology, Royal Melbourne Hospital/ Private Practice/Honorary position Monash University
  • Ms Jane Fletcher, Senior Researcher, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council of Victoria

The Group would welcome contact from researchers with similar interests, as well as prospective students. We have listed some possible student research topics on this website.

What is Psycho-Oncology?

This specialist area is concerned with the psychological, social, behavioural and ethical aspects of cancer. The two broad psychological dimensions it addresses are as follows:

  • Psychological response of patients, their families and caretakers at all stages of the disease process. These stages incorporate the continuum from symptom detection and diagnosis, to adjustment and recovery, through to treatment, palliative care and bereavement.
  • Social factors that may influence the disease process. These include the role of the family, caretakers and social networks in all stages of the continuum.

Psycho-Oncology is a multidisciplinary research enterprise with the following specialisations represented.

  • Clinical (surgery, medicine, paediatrics, radiotherapy)
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology
  • Endocrinology
  • Biology
  • Pathology
  • Bioethics
  • Palliative rehabilitation medicine
  • Decision-making
  • Psychology
  • Psychiatry

Completed Research Projects

2003

The relationship between health-related quality of life of urinary and sexual function levels among men treated for localised prostate cancer

2004

The impact of erectile dysfunction on health related quality of life across life stages
The influence of health related hardiness and optimism on the health related quality of life among men with urinary incontinence
Psychological distress in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia

2005

The effectiveness of message framing in promoting testicular self-examination
The impact of attribution in promoting testicular self-examination

2006

Psychological adjustment, dyadic adjustment, threat appraisal and coping style of patients treated for localised prostate cancer and their partners: Long-term outcomes
Erectile function and quality of life among brachytherapy and prostatectomy patients
Refining stages of change for smoking cessation
The role of optimism in recovery from breast cancer treatment in Singapore

2007

The help-seeking experiences of men in Australia with testicular cancer: A qualitative pilot study
Intention to perform FOBT: The impact of vicarious experience, knowledge, self-efficacy and engagement in health maintenance behaviours

International Research Collaboration

Information Needs of Patients in Early Stage Prostate Cancer

This project was initiated in 1997 by Dr. Deborah Feldman-Stewart, Psychologist and Senior Researcher from the Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen’s University, Ontario in collaboration with Dr. Carlo Capirci, Radiation Oncologist International Cancer Centre, Rovigo, Italy. It now involves a network of researchers from 15 countries. In September 2004 these researchers will hold a scientific meet in Padua, Italy to progress this research. This event is being supported by the European Research Collaboration Fund and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. The Australian team comprises researchers from Monash University, Peter McCallum Cancer Institute, and The Alfred Hospital. The aim of this project is to identify the information needs of patients with localised prostate cancer who are living in a range of countries around the worlds so that they can gain a fuller understanding of the disease and treatment options.

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Balmford, J., Borland, R., & Burney, S. (in press). Exploring discontinuity in prediction of smoking cessation within the precontemplation stage of change. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Balmford, J., Borland, R., & Burney, S. (in press). Is contemplation a separate stage of change to precontemplation? International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (2007). Assessing mood and general health-related quality of life among men treated for localised prostate cancer. International Journal of Urology, 14(4), 311-314.
Newton, F., Ewing, M., Burney, S., & Vella-Brodrick, D. (2007). Medical clinic facilities and doctor characteristics: What older rural males value. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 15, 41-45.
Wootten, A.C., Burney, S., Foroudi, F., Frydenberg, M., Coleman, C., & Ng, K. T. (2007). Psychological adjustment of survivors of localised prostate cancer: Investigating the role of dyadic adjustment, cognitive appraisal and coping style. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 1-9.
Wootten, A.C., Burney, S., Foroudi, F., Frydenberg, M., Coleman, C., & Ng, K. T. (2008). Long-term experience of residual symptoms following treatment for localised prostate cancer: An Australian sample. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 3, 199-206.

Peer Reviewed Conference Papers

Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (November, 2005). Sexual function and mood differences among men awaiting treatment for localised prostate cancer and men in the general community. Proceedings of the 7th Quality of Life Conference, Deakin University Melbourne, Vic.
Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (November, 2003). The incidence of sexual and urinary dysfunction among men treated for localised prostate cancer: A retrospective pilot study. Proceedings of the 5th Quality of Life Conference, Deakin University Melbourne, Vic.
Wootten, A., Burney, S., Foroudi, F., & Frydenberg, M. (November, 2005). Health-related quality of life of patients treated for localised prostate cancer two or more years ago: Are there individual characteristics that influence the outcome? Proceedings of the 7th Quality of Life Conference, Deakin University Melbourne, Vic.

Conference Posters

Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (November, 2005). The pre-treatment sexual functioning of prostate cancer patients scheduled for prostatectomy or brachytherapy. Clinical Oncological Society of Australia Conference, Brisbane, QLD.
Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (May, 2003). Health-related quality of life predictors of urinary and sexual function among men treated for localised prostatic cancer: A retrospective pilot study. 4th National Prostate Cancer Symposium. Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne.

Conference Abstracts

Brooker, J. E., Burney, S., Dally, M., & Fletcher, J. (2006). A qualitative exploration of quality of life among individuals diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma. Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting. Melbourne, Australia, November 2006.
Newton, F., Burney, S., Frydenberg, M., Millar, J., & Ng, K. T. (2006). Attitudes and reactions to sexual dysfunction among Australia men nine months post radical prostatectomy or permanent brachytherapy. Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting. Melbourne, Australia, November 2006.
Wootten, A. C., Burney, S., Foroudi, F., Frydenberg, M., Coleman, G. C., & Ng, K. T. (2006). The long-term psychological adjustment of patients treated for localised prostate cancer and their partners. Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting. Melbourne, Australia, November 2006.

Current Student Projects

Sexual Function and Quality of Life among Brachytherapy and Prostatectomy Patients
Student Researcher Ms Fiona Newton, Supervisors Dr. Sue Burney, Associate Professor Mark Frydenberg, Dr. Jeremy Millar and Emeritus Professor Kim T. Ng Commenced 2003

Psychological Adjustment, Stress Appraisal and Coping Style of Partners of Men with Prostate Cancer
Student Researcher Ms Addie Wootten, Supervisors Dr. Sue Burney, Associate Professor Mark Frydenberg, Dr Farshad Faroudi, Peter Macallum Cancer Institute and Emeritus Professor Kim T. Ng Commenced 2003

Refining Stages of Change for Smoking Cessation
Student Researcher Mr James Balmford, Supervisors Dr. Ron Borland, Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer and Dr. Sue Burney Commenced 2003

Difference in Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Survivors between Attendees and Non-attendees of Prostate Cancer Support Groups
Student Researcher Ms Helen Bransden, Supervisor Dr. Sue Burney Commenced 2004

The Impact of Message Framing on Intention to Perform Testicular Self-Examination
Student Researchers Ms Sarah Edwards and Ms Catherine Charleson, Supervisors Dr Sue Burney, Ms Jane Fletcher, National Cancer Control Initiative and Mr Andrew Jago, Victoria University Commenced 2005.
Online questionnaire.

Quality of life among individuals diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma
Student Researcher Ms Joanne Brooker, Supervisors Dr Sue Burney, Ms Jane Fletcher and Dr Michael Dally

Phase 1 – Focus Group Study - Summary of findings
Phase 2 – Retrospective Study – Summary of findings available in December 2008”

 

Potential Student Research Projects

  • A comparative study of the impact of erectile dysfunction on HRQoL among different ethnic prostate cancer patient groups.

  • The long term effects of the prostate cancer experience on partners of men with prostate cancer.

  • The level of support group utilisation and satisfaction among prostate cancer patients.

  • The impact of support group attendance on QoL, mood state and possibly acquisition of information (or satisfaction with disease related information).

  • Quality of life among various cancer patient groups by treatment type.

  • Attitudes and knowledge toward the various cancer screening methods (i.e., breast self-examination, mammography, Pap, HPV vaccine, PSA, faecal occult blood test, skin examination).

  • The impact of treatment by tumour stream on various psychological indices (e.g., general mood state, depression, anxiety, quality of life).

  • The role of resilience, fatalism, health beliefs, and optimism on recovery from cancer treatment

Some Useful Weblinks

Cancer Council of Australia
http://www.cancer.org.au

Cancer Council of Victoria
http://www.accv.org.au

National Health and Medical Research Council
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au

World Oncology Network
http://www.worldoncology.net/psycho.htm

International Union Against Cancer
http://www.iuac.org

Psycho-Oncology journal
http://www.apos-society.org/about/journal.asp

Medbioworld
http://www.medbioworld.com

Prostate Cancer Collaboration
http://www.prostatehealth.org.au

Prostate Cancer Foundation
http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org

Prostate Cancer Research Institute
http://www.pcri.org

Continence Foundation of Australia
http://www.contfound.org.au

The Continence Foundation
http://www.continence-foundation.org.uk

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
http://www.aihw.gov.au

Research Group Contact Details

If you require information about the activities of this group you should contact:

Dr. Sue Burney
Phone (work) +61 3 99032437
Mobile +61 412778727
Fax +61 3 99032501
Email address sue.burney@med.monash.edu.au