Distress screening using distress thermometer in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and evaluation of causal factors predicting occurrence of distress

• DOI: 10.4103/0973-1075.116703
• Publication Date: 2013-08-21T06:48:05Z
• Authors: Naveen Salins; Amrit Kadam; Raghavendra Rao; Shirley Lewis
• Keywords: Mucositis

Distress is commonly seen in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Causal factors of distress are multifactorial; which encompasses physical, psychological, spiritual, existential with complex interrelationship among the factors.Thirty radiotherapy were included study. Patients screened for pain scores, physical psychological symptoms, spiritual emotional distress.Significant increasing trend score, total number symptoms during 2(nd) week, 4(th) on completion treatment (all P's < 0.001) compared to pretreatment. Those who had chemotherapy (CT) along radiation significantly greater score (t = 5.54, P 0.03) 3.9, 0.05) at 2 weeks into those did not receive CT. There was higher grade skin toxicity (Somers' d 0.36, 0.02) mucositis (d 0.34, 4 radiotherapy.Positive correlation between occurrence symptoms. Increasing Increase distress.