Dataset Information

Psychosocial Distress Scores and Needs among Newly Diagnosed Sarcoma Patients: A Provincial Experience.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Information on the psychosocial distress and needs of sarcoma patients at diagnosis is sparse. The Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC) and Psychosocial Screen for Cancer-Revised (PSSCAN-R) are validated tools to identify cancer patients' distress and are administered to all new patients referred to BC Cancer prior to their consultation. We used the CPC and PSSCAN-R to understand sarcoma patients' needs at the initial oncology consultation in British Columbia, Canada.

Materials and methods

All sarcoma patients who completed the CPC and PSSCAN-R within 6?months of diagnosis between 2011 and 2016 were included. The retrospective chart review identified baseline demographics: age, performance status, disease location, resectability, and histology. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

413 sarcoma patients were identified. The majority of patients were over the age of 40 (83.3%) with ECOG performance status 0-1 (82.6%) and lower extremity tumors (55.4%). The most common diagnoses were liposarcoma 21.3%, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma 12.1%, and myxofibrosarcoma 11.1%. At the initial consultation, 42.6% of patients were deemed resectable, 8.5% unresectable/metastatic, and 48.9% required further staging investigations. The top three patient-reported distress symptoms were feeling tense and unable to relax (50%), feeling nervous and shaky (48%), and experiencing repetitive and scary thoughts (42%). 38% of patients had subclinical/clinical anxiety symptoms, and 21% of patients had subclinical/clinical depression symptoms. 5% of patients expressed suicidal ideation. The top three concerns/needs were understanding of illness/treatment (45.5%), fear/worries (45.3%), and worry about family (23%). No differences in overall survival were identified for patients displaying symptoms of depression or anxiety versus no symptoms.

Discussion

Up to 45% of sarcoma patients experience some form of psychological distress at disease presentation. Patients desire information about their diagnosis and treatment. Tailored interventions to individual psychological comorbidity and improved patient education resources would be beneficial.

SUBMITTER: Srikanthan A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6636442 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Psychosocial Distress Scores and Needs among Newly Diagnosed Sarcoma Patients: A Provincial Experience.

Srikanthan Amirrtha A Leung Bonnie B Shokoohi Aria A Smrke Alannah A Bates Alan A Ho Cheryl C

Sarcoma 20190701

<h4>Introduction</h4>Information on the psychosocial distress and needs of sarcoma patients at diagnosis is sparse. The Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC) and Psychosocial Screen for Cancer-Revised (PSSCAN-R) are validated tools to identify cancer patients' distress and are administered to all new patients referred to BC Cancer prior to their consultation. We used the CPC and PSSCAN-R to understand sarcoma patients' needs at the initial oncology consultation in British Columbia, Canada.<h4>Materia ...[more]

PMID: 31354383

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundIndividuals with advanced, incurable cancer often experience high physical and psychological symptom burden. Family and friend caregivers are at risk for emotional distress.PurposeThe aim of the study is to investigate the interrelationship of distress in patient-caregiver dyads at the time of newly diagnosed incurable cancer.MethodsFrom May 2011 to July 2015, within 8 weeks of diagnosis of advanced lung or noncolorectal gastrointestinal cancer, 350 patients and 275 family caregivers were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of early palliative care. Actor-partner interdependence modeling was used to examine relationships between dyad's self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at baseline.ResultsComparing patients with caregivers, patients reported more depressive symptoms (M diff = .84; t[274] = 3.17, p = .002, d = .22) and caregivers reported more anxiety symptoms (M diff =1.62, t[274] = 4.91, p < .001, d = .39). Dyads' anxiety symptoms were positively associated, as were depressive symptoms (rs = .21, ps ≤ .001). Actor-partner interdependence modeling showed that patients' anxiety symptoms were positively associated with their own depressive symptoms, with an equal effect for caregivers (actor effect βs = 0.52, ps < .001). Patients' own anxiety was concurrently positively associated with their caregivers' depressive symptoms, with an equal effect for caregivers to patients (partner effect βs=0.08, ps=.008).ConclusionsIn the context of newly diagnosed incurable cancer, caregivers experience more pronounced anxiety, while patients report greater depressive symptoms. Findings indicate that anxiety and depressive symptoms are interrelated among dyads facing newly diagnosed incurable disease. Results emphasize the importance of addressing distress in both patients and caregivers. Future research should discern when dyadic versus individual psychosocial interventions would be optimal.Trial registration numberThe trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT02349412) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02349412 .

Dataset Information

Psychosocial Distress Scores and Needs among Newly Diagnosed Sarcoma Patients: A Provincial Experience.

Introduction

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion

Publications

Psychosocial Distress Scores and Needs among Newly Diagnosed Sarcoma Patients: A Provincial Experience.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets