Structured Multidisciplinary Intervention or Standard Medical Care in Improving Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Active Cancer Treatment

Inclusion Criteria:

* Ability to attend all treatment sessions and follow-up
* Ability to provide written informed consent
* Ability to participate in all aspects of the study
* Initial diagnosis of cancer must have been =\< 12 months prior to study entry
* Intermediate to poor prognosis, defined as an expected 5-year survival of 0-50% in the judgment of the physicians entering the patient on the study
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) 0, 1, or 2
* \>= 1 week of planned cancer treatment at Mayo Clinic
* Has a caregiver also willing to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

* Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores of \< 20
* Expected survival of \< 6 months
* Active substance abuse (alcohol or drug)
* Participation in other psycho-social research trials
* Active thought disorder (bipolar illness, schizophrenia, etc.)
* Suicidal intent or plan
* In need of psychiatric hospitalization
* Recurrent disease after disease-free interval of \> 6 months
* Previous cancer =\< 5 years (except non-melanoma skin cancer and/or second cancer diagnosed at approximately the same time as this cancer)