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Distress Scores During Radiotherapy for Lung Cancer: Course and Prognostic Factors
Dirk Rades1, Cansu Delikanli1, Stefan Janssen1,2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Background/Aim:
Cancer treatment can lead to significant distress. We investigated the course of distress during radiotherapy (RT) for lung cancer.
Patients And Methods:
Data of 159 patients receiving RT for lung cancer were investigated for change of distress scores during RT. Five characteristics were analyzed including age, sex, Karnofsky performance score, intent of RT, and receipt of previous RT. Additional analyses were performed in patients with pre-RT scores ≤5 points.
Results:
Mean pre-RT and post-RT distress scores were 5.5 (±2.6) and 4.7 (±2.6), respectively. No characteristic was significantly associated with mean change or increase of distress. In patients with pre-RT scores ≤5 points, non-significantly higher rates of increased distress were found for age ≤64 years, female sex, and Karnofsky performance score 90-100.
Conclusion:
Distress is reduced during a course of RT for lung cancer. This may reflect a reduction in anticipatory distress after first-hand experience.
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