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PurposeThis study reports the incidence of distress, the factors associated with distress, and a practical strategy to resolve distress in patients with head and neck cancer who are starting palliative chemotherapy.MethodsAdult patients with head and neck cancer planned for palliative chemotherapy underwent distress screening before the start of treatment as part of this single-arm prospective study. Patients who had a distress score > 3 on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) distress thermometer were counseled initially by the clinician. Those who continued to have high distress after the clinician-led counseling were referred to a clinical psychologist and were started on palliative chemotherapy. After counseling, distress was measured again. The relation between baseline distress and compliance was tested using Fisher's exact test.ResultsTwo hundred patients were enrolled, and the number of patients with high distress was 89 (44.5% [95% CI, 37.8% to 51.4%]). The number of patients who had a decrease in distress after clinician-led counseling (n = 88) was 52 (59.1% [95% CI, 48.6% to 68.8%]) and after psychologist-led counseling (n = 32) was 24 (75.0% [95% CI, 57.6% to 72.2%]; P = .136). Compliance rates did not differ between the patients with or without a high level of distress at baseline (74.2% v 77.4%, P = .620).ConclusionThe incidence of baseline distress is high in patients awaiting the start of palliative chemotherapy. It can be resolved in a substantial number of patients using the strategy of clinician-led counseling, with additional referral to a clinical psychologist as required. Patients with a greater number of emotional problems usually require psychologist-led counseling.

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Aim:This study was designed with a primary objective to study the rate of agreement in treatment plan and decisions between video follow-up (VF) and conventional clinic follow-up (CF).Patients & methods:Adult patients with intermediate- to high-grade glioma on adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) with facilities for live video call were invited to participate in the study.Results:The concurrence in decision of administering TMZ between VF and CF was 100% (p < 0.00). The median cost incurred in VF was US$58.15 while that incurred in CF was US$131.23 (p < 0.00).Conclusion:VF can substitute CF during adjuvant TMZ administration (CTRI/2017/01/007626).

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