Background: We tested whether a brief psychological intervention could prevent anxiety or depressive disorders among newly diagnosed cancer patients.

Patients and methods: Patients free of anxiety or depressive disorder were randomised to receive immediate intervention (start of cancer treatment), delayed intervention (8 weeks after starting treatment) or usual care. They were stratified according to risk of developing anxiety or depressive disorders. Primary outcome was measured using a standardised psychiatric interview to detect any anxiety or depressive disorder at 6 and 12 months following the cancer diagnosis. Analyses used conditional odds logistic regression models adjusting for age, gender, concerns and past history to compare outcome of all intervention patients with usual care.

Results: A total of 465 patients were recruited. In all, 313 (79%) of the 397 well enough to be interviewed completed the study. At 12 months, there was no difference between the groups receiving the intervention and usual care [odds ratio (OR) = 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–1.17, P = 0.17]. In high-risk patients, those who received the intervention were less likely to develop an anxiety or depressive disorder compared with those who received usual care (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.29–1.00, P = 0.050). In low-risk patients, there was no difference (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 0.51–4.43, P = 0.47).

Conclusion: A brief intervention, delivered by nonspecialists, promoted adjustment among newly diagnosed cancer patients at high risk of developing anxiety or depressive disorders.