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Original Article

Body image concerns in breast cancer: an exploratory study on the role of partners' perceptions and well-being
Denise Vagnini, Chiara Acquati, Emanuela Saita

Understanding health anxiety in people diagnosed with Lynch syndrome
Jenna Albiani, Aliza A. Panjwani, Melyssa Aronson, Kara Semotiuk, Thomas Ward, Zane Cohen, Tae L. Hart

When cancer hits home: attitudes, practices, and ethical challenges of Lebanese physicians treating family members
Johnny Jalbout, Nicole Gebara, Marouan Zoghbi, Sami Richa

Patient-clinician goal alignment in a prehabilitation setting: insights from a mixed methods study
Katerina Bourganos, Francesco Carli, A. Sender Liberman, Stéphanie Chevalier, Chelsia Gillis

Review

Mind-body therapies for insomnia symptoms in people with cancer: A systematic review with network meta-analysis
Yoann Birling, Deep J. Bhuyan, Fan Feng, Jing Liu, Mingxian Jia, Wing Yu Yu, Matthew Rahimi, Linda E. Carlson, Han Zhang, Nibras Jasim, B. Hazel Boge, Sarah Nevitt, Kayla Jaye, Indeewarie D. Mudiyanselage, Changrong Tang, Tiffany Tram, Judith Lacey, Rogier Hoenders, Paul P. Fahey

I am Divya, a psycho-oncologist at After Completion Therapy (ACT) ClinicCancer Institute (WIA), India, with over seven years of experience in providing psychosocial care to individuals affected by cancer. My work primarily focuses on supporting cancer survivors through dedicated survivorship services, addressing emotional well-being, quality of life, and long-term adjustment after treatment. I am particularly passionate about pediatric and young adult survivorship care, helping survivors navigate developmental, educational, psychosocial, and quality-of-life challenges while promoting long-term health and well-being.

I have contributed to survivorship research through publications in international journals and continue to be actively involved in clinical care, research, and patient advocacy. Being a member of IPOS has significantly contributed to my professional growth by connecting me with a global network of psycho-oncology professionals, researchers, and educators. The organization provides valuable opportunities for learning, collaboration, and staying updated with advancements in psychosocial oncology, helping me enhance the quality of care I provide to patients and survivors.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading fictional novels, gardening and involve myself in volunteering works at the community. 

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. Description: How does IPOS contribute to your career growth?
8. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

IPOS would like to congratulate IPOS board member, volunteer and member Jayita Deodhar on receiving the 2026 Bombay Psychiatric Society's Dr. S. M. Lulla Oration Award

For this Award, Dr. Deodhar’ s oration was on psycho-oncology and titled "When Psychiatry met Oncology." She spoke about:
•    Jimmie and James Holland and their contribution globally;
•    IPOS;
•    The way forward in India, and;
•    Appeal to folks to work in this discipline.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM YOUR IPOS FAMILY!

Note – If you are a current member of IPOS and have recently won a prestigious award, please let us know by emailing [email protected] with details and a photo. We want to celebrate our members and their impact in psychosocial oncology!

Xiomara Rocha-Cadman, MD is an Associate Clinical Professor and Chief of the Division of Psychiatry within the Department of Supportive Care Medicine at City of Hope. She specializes in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psycho-Oncology, with expertise in the psychiatric care of patients with advanced cancer, hematologic malignancies, and those undergoing stem cell transplantation. 

Dr. Rocha-Cadman earned her medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico and completed initial surgical training at Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester in New York. She later transitioned to psychiatry, completing her residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in affiliation with Weill Cornell Medical College. She went on to complete a fellowship in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psycho-Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where she trained under the supervision of psycho-oncology pioneer Dr. Jimmie C. Holland and alongside leaders in the field, including Dr. Mary Jane Massie, Dr. Andy Roth, and Dr. William Breitbart. She subsequently served on faculty at MSKCC for over eight years, working closely with the Stem Cell Transplant program and later serving as Program Director of the Psycho-Oncology Fellowship. 

Dr. Rocha-Cadman is a nationally and internationally recognized clinician-scholar whose academic work spans mood and neuropsychiatric complications of cancer treatments, cognitive dysfunction in older adults with hematologic malignancies, psychiatric care in stem cell transplantation, and the integration of palliative and psychosocial care across the cancer continuum. She is the author and co-author of multiple peer-reviewed publications, invited essays, systematic reviews, and authoritative textbook chapters in leading psychiatric and psycho-oncology references. Her chapter contributions include seminal works on hematologic cancers, end-of-life care, and palliative psychiatry, as well as culturally and linguistically adapted psychosocial interventions for Latino patients with cancer. Notably, she has contributed to multiple editions of Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry and Oxford University Press texts, reflecting sustained leadership in shaping the educational foundation of psycho-oncology and palliative psychiatry. 

A major focus of Dr. Rocha-Cadman’s scholarly and clinical leadership is reducing disparities in cancer care, particularly among Latino and underserved populations. Her work includes the cultural adaptation of evidence-based psychotherapies, meaning-centered interventions for Spanish-speaking patients, and the development of telehealth and digital health models to expand access to psycho-oncology services across Latin America. She has led and collaborated on international research efforts, Delphi consensus studies, and systematic reviews that inform best practices in culturally responsive supportive cancer care. She is also a contributing author to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Distress Management, underscoring her role in establishing national standards of care. 

Since joining City of Hope, Dr. Rocha-Cadman has been recognized for her clinical excellence, receiving the Physician Excellence Award in 2021. Her clinical work includes providing intensive “bedside psychotherapy” to patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation and other complex cancer treatments. She is a strong advocate for high-quality end-of-life care and remains deeply engaged in education, mentorship, and collaborative research with psycho-oncologists, palliative care specialists, and multidisciplinary teams throughout the United States, Latin America, and Spain. 

Outside of her professional roles, Dr. Rocha-Cadman enjoys running marathons and raising awareness for cancer. She is the founder of The Rocha-Cadman Foundation, dedicated to reducing cancer care disparities by supporting underserved communities. Spending time with her husband, son, and daughter is the most important part of her life. 

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. Description: How does IPOS contribute to your career growth?
8. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

The Jimmie Holland Memorial Award honours an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member, recognized for making a unique contribution that is considered to be a highly creative or pioneering innovation or activity that advances the field of psycho-oncology. The award is unique in its recognition of Jimmie Holland as a pioneer and chief innovator of our time, as well as for her enormous contribution as a mentor. This award is supported by the Holland family.

Elisabeth has an impressive 35-year career in clinical care, research, and contributions to the promotion and growth of psycho-oncology in her region. This prestigious award recognizes individuals whose unique, innovative, and pioneering contributions have substantially advanced the field of psycho-oncology. Elisabeth is a true pioneer — not only within Austria but also on the international stage. Her work has been instrumental in shaping and advancing psycho-oncology as an essential component of cancer care. The extensive evidence of her tireless efforts to integrate psycho-oncology into routine cancer care reflects a deep and sustained commitment to the core mission of IPOS. Her leadership, vision, and impact make her an exceptionally deserving recipient of this award.

This award will be presented at the 2026 IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology.

Congratulations! Read more by going to https://ipos-society.org/awards/winners

There were FIVE scholarships offered in 2026 to attend the 2026 IPOS World Congress in Barcelona. We are pleased to announce the winners.

1. Andrea Patenaude IPOS Scholarship (valued at $5,000) Awarded to Martha Beatriz Paredes Delhonte (Peru) that includes:

2. Carolyn Messner Congress and Membership Scholarship Awarded to Rachel Kansiime (Uganda) that includes:

3. Matthew Loscalzo Congress Scholarship Awarded to Lydiah Maingi (Kenya) that includes:

4. Michael Jefford Congress Scholarship Awarded to Maria Madeline Mallillin (Philippines) that includes:

5. Wendy Lam Congress Scholarship Awarded to Mjedra Bajraktari Deva (Kosovo) that includes:

Congratulations to all and a HUGE thank you to those who supported the scholarships.

The Noemi Fisman Award for Lifetime Clinical Excellence honours an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member in recognition of outstanding clinical contributions to the field of psycho-oncology. They must have served for a major proportion of their career as a clinician and be able to demonstrate novel, beneficial and substantial initiatives impacting directly on the care of patients and his/her families either through their own practice or practice developments.

Dr. Jefford has built an outstanding career over more than twenty years in clinical psycho-oncology and survivorship care, distinguished further by his contributions to research and education. As Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and inaugural Director of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC), he has led transformative initiatives that centre psychosocial wellbeing and holistic survivorship care. His early work included pioneering research on depression screening in oncology and palliative care. He has held major leadership roles across IPOS, COSA, MASCC, ASCO, and Cancer Council Victoria. Through these roles, he has advanced communication training, survivorship models, and shaped national policy. Dr. Jefford has published more than 280 papers and 11 book chapters, and has defined unmet needs, quality of life outcomes, and intervention strategies for diverse survivor populations. He has built national survivorship education programs, producing more than 50 multilingual resources and ACSC training has reached over 26,000 health professionals. As founder and inaugural Chair of the IPOS Survivorship SIG, he enabled influential international studies. A dedicated mentor and widely invited speaker, he has shaped global survivorship discourse and is regarded as a highly deserving candidate for the Noemi Fisman Award.

This award will be presented at the 2026 IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology. 

Congratulations! Read more by going to https://ipos-society.org/awards/winners

The Hiroomi & Setsuko Kawano New Investigator Award honours a new investigator for outstanding research contributions in the field of psycho-oncology and is an early career award. Candidates must be within seven years of active work in psycho-oncology after completing their postgraduate, fellowship or equivalent specialist training (defined as a PhD or MD or equivalent) relative to opportunity. "Relative to opportunity" considerations include that career breaks or career disruptions (see below of details). Nominators who are unsure if a candidate meets criteria should seek advice from the Awards Chair. This award is sponsored by the Hiroomi Kawano Foundation in Japan.

Dr. Haywood stands out as an emerging leader in psycho-oncology and is highly deserving of The Hiroomi & Setsuko Kawano New Investigator Award. His work has made significant contributions in two key areas. First, he has advanced understanding of the lived experience of individuals affected by cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). This program of research led to the development of COG-IMPACT, the first and only assessment tool designed to identify unmet psychosocial needs associated with CRCI. The tool has already informed services across 12 countries and has supported more than 500,000 patients. Second, Dr. Haywood has contributed to improving how mental health difficulties are conceptualized in people affected by cancer. The field of psycho-oncology has long faced challenges related to psychological misdiagnosis, and he was the first to propose a viable solution through the application of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) in cancer. This work introduced a dimensional framework that more accurately captures the complexity of cancer-related effects and associated psychopathology. Taken together, these accomplishments, along with a strong and growing publication record, active involvement in IPOS, and clear real-world impact, demonstrate both innovation and leadership.

Congratulations! Read more by going to https://ipos-society.org/awards/winners

IPOS affords an incredible opportunity for me to connect with and learn from psycho-oncology professionals across the globe! It’s been a pleasure meeting IPOS members from different countries, participating in webinars, and holding board positions. This has strongly supported my work in the field and further contributed to my passion for psycho-oncology.  

Interested in being profiled?

Please email the following to [email protected] with the subject line “IPOS member profile submission”:

1. Name
2. Employment position
3. Employer/Institution
4. Country
5. Twitter handle (if available)
6. Jpg photo of yourself
7. Description: How does IPOS contribute to your career growth?
8. 50-to-200-word description that notes details on your practice, involvement with IPOS and something “fun or interesting” about yourself.

Congratulations to Patricia Parker (USA) for Winning the 2026 Bernard Fox Memorial Award

The award will be presented to Dr. Parker at the 27th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, November 9-12, 2026, Barcelona, Spain.

The Bernard Fox Memorial Award honours an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member who has made an outstanding contribution in education or research to the field of psycho-oncology. The primary focus is on the academic and educational output of the nominee.

Dr. Parker has made outstanding contributions to psycho-oncology over the past 28 years. Her work includes training more than 5,000 oncology-care professionals and holding key leadership roles at institutional, national, and international levels. She has served as chair and co-chair for several psycho-oncology programs. Her leadership of the MSK Comskil Program has had substantial institutional and international impact, with extensive training reach and strong integration of research and clinical practice. She has an impressive publication record, consistent extramural funding, and a sustained commitment to mentorship and leadership within IPOS. With multiple impactful publications and sustained contributions to both education and research, she emerges very deserving of this award.

This is a mid-to-late-career award, and the nominee may work as an educator, as a researcher and/or provide clear evidence of being a leader in his/her chosen area of psycho-oncology. It is important that the nominator provide evidence in his/her letter of recommendation that the nominee meets these criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, which provide evidence that the nominee meets these criteria.