# Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM)

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/calm-psychotherapy/  
OnCo record `calm-psychotherapy` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

CALM is a brief talking therapy for people with advanced cancer, designed to treat and prevent depression and distress about the end of life. In a trial of 305 people it eased depression symptoms and helped people feel more prepared.

## Summary

Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a brief, manualised psychotherapeutic intervention intended to treat and prevent depression and end-of-life distress in patients with advanced cancer. In the randomised trial by Rodin and colleagues (Journal of Clinical Oncology 2018), 305 outpatients at a comprehensive cancer centre were assigned to CALM plus usual care or usual care alone. CALM participants reported less severe depressive symptoms at 3 months (the primary end point) and at 6 months, and greater end-of-life preparation at 6 months; no adverse effects were identified.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: established
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: CALM therapy; CALM psychotherapy; Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully
- Tags: supportive; psychosocial
- Principle: A brief, manualised psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer, intended to treat and prevent depression and end-of-life distress and to address the predictable challenges these patients face.

## Sources

- Rodin et al., CALM randomised controlled trial (J Clin Oncol 2018): https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2017.77.1097

## Connected records

- technologies: [Early integrated palliative care](https://onco.cc/technologies/palliative-care/), [Psycho-oncology and distress screening](https://onco.cc/technologies/psycho-oncology/)

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