Distress and Quality of Life Among Patients with Advanced Genitourinary Cancers

Patients with advanced genitourinary cancers face many challenges throughout their disease trajectory, and many will experience clinically relevant psychosocial distress. Certain groups, including female gender, younger age (and older age for suicide), unmarried status, and non–clear cell histology, remain at a higher risk, and evidence suggests that those with kidney and bladder cancers may be at an increased risk of suicide. Routine psychosocial screening, with brief validated tools, has the ability to identify patients’ unmet needs, assist the health care team in addressing such symptoms, and subsequently improve quality of life, adherence, and clinical outcomes. Effective supportive care modalities are available that address common patient needs in the context of incurable disease (eg, emotional and physical symptoms); however, challenges remain in terms of patient acceptance and access through insurance coverage. As a result, remote home-based interventions have emerged with the potential to mitigate emotional symptom burden and improve disease adjustment. In this study, we highlight studies reporting on the prevalence of psychosocial distress and associated risk factors in advanced genitourinary cancers, and review evidence-based interventions for the management of distress, including distress screening and psychosocial interventions. Patient summary This mini-review reports the prevalence of psychosocial distress and associated risk factors among patients with advanced kidney, bladder, or prostate cancer. We found that patients with these types of advanced genitourinary cancers are at a great risk of distress, including suicide, with consequent impairments in quality of life. We recommend that a distress screening program be incorporated as the standard of care and that referrals to appropriate psychosocial interventions be available to assist patients in greatest need.