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Do cancer and treatment type affect distress?
J M Admiraal1, A K L Reyners, J E H M Hoekstra-Weebers
1Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Psycho-Oncology
|October 31, 2012
Summary
Prostate cancer patients experience less distress and have lower Distress Thermometer (DT) cutoff scores. Younger women and those undergoing intensive treatments, excluding surgery or
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychosocial Oncology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Distress is a common experience for cancer patients.
- The Distress Thermometer (DT) is a widely used screening tool.
- Understanding cancer-type-specific distress levels and cutoffs is crucial for targeted support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare distress levels and DT cutoff scores across different cancer types.
- To investigate the influence of socio-demographic and illness-related factors on patient distress.
Main Methods:
- 1350 cancer patients completed questionnaires including the DT, Problem List, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to determine cancer-specific DT cutoff scores.
- Univariate and multivariate analyses examined the effects of various variables on distress levels.
Main Results:
- Prostate cancer patients reported significantly lower DT scores (M=2.5) and a lower cutoff score (≥4) compared to other cancer types (M=3.4-5.1, cutoff ≥5).
- Multivariate analyses identified intensive treatment, non-prostate cancer type, gender-age interaction, and cancer type-treatment intensity interaction as significant predictors of distress.
- Younger women reported higher distress than older women and men; intensive treatment increased distress, except for prostate cancer patients receiving non-intensive treatment.
Conclusions:
- Prostate cancer patients exhibit lower distress and DT cutoff scores, necessitating tailored screening approaches.
- Younger women and patients undergoing intensive treatments (excluding surgery or 'wait and see') are at higher risk for distress.
- Findings aid in identifying patients requiring psychosocial and allied health care referrals.
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