Purpose: Advances in cancer treatment have prolonged survival for people with advanced cancer, drawing greater attention to their longer-term psychosocial and existential needs. However, the psychotherapeutic evidence relating to suicide remains unclear. This scoping review mapped the interventions evaluated, outcome measures used, and findings reported, and assessed the completeness of intervention reporting.
Methods: Four databases (Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, and CINAHL) were searched from inception to 15 June 2026. Eligible studies included a structured psychotherapeutic component, reported at least one suicide-related outcome, and provided quantitative data. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist was used to assess reporting completeness.
Results: The eight included studies comprised four parallel-group randomized controlled trials, one secondary analysis of a randomized crossover trial, and three single-arm intervention studies. The primary analyses included approximately 880 participants. Interventions included meaning-centered psychotherapy, dignity therapy, Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM), collaborative depression care, and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Outcomes were limited to suicidal ideation and desire for hastened death. No study reported suicide attempts, or suicide deaths. Although several studies reported within-group improvements, only two of the five randomized studies found statistically significant between-group differences. Between eight and eleven TIDieR items were fully reported per study. Recurring gaps concerned intervention materials, provider characteristics, intervention modifications, and planned fidelity.
Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic interventions may help reduce suicidal ideation and desire for hastened death in people with advanced cancer, but the evidence remains limited and inconsistent, precluding firm conclusions about effectiveness.