High levels of untreated distress and fatigue in cancer patients

Carlson, Linda E.; Angen, Maureen; Cullum, Jodi L; Goodey, Eileen; Koopmans, Jan; Lamont, L; Macrae, Jim; Martin, Maria Jesus Santamaria; Pelletier, G.; Robinson, John W.; Simpson, Jennifer S.; Speca, Michael; Tillotson, Lacey M.; Bultz, Barry D.

doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601887

Cited by 821 publications

(715 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…A further limitation of the study is that patients were asked to rate symptoms over the last week or 2 weeks depending on the tool used. Patients may prefer different sources of help at different points in their treatment [5,29]. For example, individual counselling was viewed as being useful for coping with distress during the course of treatment, but couple counselling may be more helpful for dealing with the effects of illness on other relationships once the acute treatment has ended [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desire for psychological support in cancer patients with depression or distress: validation of a simple help question

et al. 2011

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Objectives: Despite documented high rates of psychological distress, it is not clear how to identify those who are willing to accept help. The aim of this study was to investigate whether asking patients receiving chemotherapy if they want help with emotional problems is valuable and to investigate the type of help they want.Methods: Patients attending a chemotherapy suite were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and the Emotion Thermometers tools. Results were compared with a single question on desire for help.Results: In this study, 128 patients completed questionnaires for distress, depression, anxiety and desire for help at initial interview. Only one in five unselected patients had a perceived need for help, and in distressed patients only 36% expressed a desire for help. The addition of the help question to the two questions (PHQ-2) about mood and interest improved the ability to rule-in depression by increasing the specificity. However, by addition of this question, sensitivity was significantly reduced. Desire for help was modestly associated with severity of distress, anxiety and depression.Conclusions: The addition of a help question appears to have limited value in screening for psychological symptoms, but it may highlight those who are willing to accept addition support. Clinicians should attempt to offer a range of psychosocial interventions that will be acceptable to patients with distress.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desire for psychological support in cancer patients with depression or distress: validation of a simple help question

et al. 2011

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“…These standardized questions included their current medical condition, adherence with the walking program, the amount and type of exercise performed, their current FVAS and PVAS rating, chemotherapy or radiation therapy being received, and the presence or absence of the following 10 symptoms: fatigue, pain, shortness of breath, weight loss, anorexia, diarrhea, constipation, weakness, insomnia, and depression. This 10 symptom profile survey was based on a literature review of the most commonly reported symptoms in patients with PPC (6,11,(12)(13)(14)(15)(24)(25)(26)(27), and was administered to the IG during monthly follow-up phone calls and upon final follow-up. The UCG received the followup 10 symptom profile survey only upon final follow-up.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, when 600 postings from pancreas cancer patients and their families in a monitored Internet pancreas cancer Frequently Asked Questions chat room were analyzedpain, fatigue, and anorexia were the most frequently reported symptoms by post-operative patients as well as those who did not have surgery (11). Other investigations have reported fatigue, pain, weight loss, nausea, anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, insomnia, depression, and anxiety as the most prevalent symptoms reported by PPC patients at all stages of disease (6,(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Progressive Postresection Walking Program Significantly Improves Fatigue and Health-Related Quality of Life in Pancreas and Periampullary Cancer Patients

Yeo

Burrell

Sauter

et al. 2012

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

110

148

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A progressive postresection walking program significantly improves fatigue and health-related quality of life in pancreas and periampullary cancer patients. Recommended Citation Yeo, Theresa; Burrell, Sherry A; Sauter, Patricia K; Kennedy, Eugene P; Lavu, Harish; Leiby, Benjamin E; and Yeo, Charles, "A progressive postresection walking program significantly improves fatigue and health-related quality of life in pancreas and periampullary cancer patients." (2012 Methods:One hundred and two patients with resected PPC consented to participate in this study and were randomized to either an Intervention Group (IG) or a Usual Care Group (UCG).Subjects completed visual analog scales, the FACIT-Fatigue Scale (FFS) and the Short Form36v2® after surgery and again 3 to 6 months after hospital discharge. Results:Patients in the IG and UCG were comparable with regard to demographics, comorbidities, cancer type and staging, type of resection, pre-op fatigue and pain levels, adjuvant therapy and baseline walking distance. Patients in the IG had significantly improved scores on the FFS at study completion, improved fatigue and pain scores, as well as overall physical functioning and mental health composite scores. At study completion, participants in the IG were walking twice as far and were significantly more likely to have continued walking or another form of exercise as compared to the UCG. Using hierarchical cluster analysis three mutually exclusive symptom groupings were identified in the cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis did not indicate an overall survival benefit for the IG. Conclusion:This is the first prospective, randomized and controlled trial to report that participation in a home walking program confers a significant benefit in resected PPC patients

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“…the HADS [19], the Hornheide Questionnaire [20,21], the Stress Index RadioOncology (SIRO, [22]), the Distress Thermometer [23,24], the PsychooncologicalBasic Documentation (PO-Bado, [25]), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI, [26,27]), the SymptomChecklist-90-R (SCL-90-R, [28,29]) and the GHQ-12.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a screening tool for the identification of psychooncological treatment need in breast cancer patients

et al. 2009

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Objective: In breast cancer patients the diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of the physical disease cause a large amount of psychosocial distress, which can have a variety of negative consequences on patients' physical and mental well-being. Although about one-third of the patients show heightened psychosocial distress that may require psychooncological interventions its detection in daily clinical routine is poor and referral to mental health professionals is insufficient. The aim of the study was to develop a short screening tool for the detection of need for psychooncological treatment (POT) in breast cancer patients.Methods: Over a period of six months, 115 breast cancer outpatients attending the Department of Gynaecology at Innsbruck Medical University were consecutively included in the study. Logistic regression analysis and ROC analyses were used to identify the most predictive item set from a set of questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ-C30, HADS and Hornheide Screening Instrument) and other additional questions.Results: Data from 105 breast cancer patients (mean age 58.8, SD 12.3) were available for analysis. A logistic regression equation containing the EORTC-QLQ-C30 scales Emotional Functioning and Role Functioning as well as the yes-no question after psychiatric/ psychological/psychotherapeutic treatment at any point in lifetime showed highest predictive power with regard to need of POT (AUC 5 0.88; CI 95% 0.82-0.95). A pilot study (n 5 20) investigating applicability of a computerized version of this screening tool in oncological routine showed high acceptance and feasibility.Conclusion: The developed PO-screening tool showed high diagnostic accuracy regarding POT needs. The short assessment time and good usability of its computerized version allowed easy implementation in daily oncological routine.

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High levels of untreated distress and fatigue in cancer patients

Cited by 821 publications

References 35 publications

Desire for psychological support in cancer patients with depression or distress: validation of a simple help question

Desire for psychological support in cancer patients with depression or distress: validation of a simple help question

A Progressive Postresection Walking Program Significantly Improves Fatigue and Health-Related Quality of Life in Pancreas and Periampullary Cancer Patients

Development of a screening tool for the identification of psychooncological treatment need in breast cancer patients

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