Psycho-Oncology and the Relevance of a Biopsychosocial Screening Program

A 40-year-old unmarried Brazilian woman, Ms A, received a diagnosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in February 2020; she underwent nephrectomy the following month. In August, she began to experience generalized pain with subsequent scans revealing metastatic disease to the supraclavicular lymph node, liver, and vagina. In October 2020, Ms A started first-line systemic combination treatment with nivolumab (Opdivo; 3 mg/kg) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy; 1 mg/kg) every 3 weeks for 4 doses, followed by nivolumab (3 mg/kg) every 2 weeks, to be taken for 2 years. In April 2021, follow-up testing revealed a partial response to therapy, and a complete response was evident in August 2021. Ms A was first screened for biopsychosocial distress by the supportive care team in October 2020, and she completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) evaluation.During her fourth cycle of treatment in October 2020, the patient was assessed with the ESAS. During her medical visits, Ms A also expressed concern regarding her physical symptoms and admitted frequent self-monitoring for signs of recurrence or progression. Her oncologist prescribed tramadol for pain and the supportive care team recommended increased engagement in physical activity. Upon further assessment, the patient reported a belief that her psychosocial symptoms, worry about recurrence or progression, and time spent self-monitoring were a normal part of her cancer experience.