Distress Screening in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Planned for Cancer-Directed Radiotherapy.

Objective/hypothesis: To estimate the prevalence of baseline clinically significant distress (distress score ≥ 4) in head and neck cancer patients planned and treated with radical intent radiotherapy using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer (DT) and assess factors predictive of distress.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study evaluating distress in 600 head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The DT was used to screen patients for distress at baseline before radiotherapy.
Results: The median distress score of the entire cohort was 4 interquartile range (IQR) (IQR: 3-5), and 340 patients (56.7%) had clinically significant distress. On univariate analysis, the causal factors predictive of distress were low socioeconomic status (P = .04), presence of proliferative growth at presentation (P = .008), site of the tumor (oral cavity, P = .02), comorbidity (P = .04), and presence of Ryle's tube or tracheostomy tube at baseline (P = .01). Low socioeconomic status was significant (P = .04) on multivariate analysis for high levels of distress.
Conclusions: Among head and neck cancer patients, 56% of patients had clinically significant baseline distress, and patients with low socioeconomic status had high distress. There is a need for interventions to mitigate distress.
Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:2023-2029, 2021.
(© 2021 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc..)