PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - AL-SALOOL, AHMED
AU  - SOROR, TAMER
AU  - YU, NATHAN Y.
AU  - IDEL, CHRISTIAN
AU  - BRUCHHAGE, KARL L.
AU  - HAKIM, SAMER G.
AU  - RADES, DIRK
TI  - Emotional Distress in Head-and-neck Cancer Patients Scheduled for Chemoradiation or Radiotherapy Alone
AID  - 10.21873/anticanres.16386
DP  - 2023 May 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 2227--2233
VI  - 43
IP  - 5
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/43/5/2227.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/43/5/2227.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2023 May 01; 43
AB  - Background/Aim: Radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer is often associated with significant toxicities, which may cause emotional distress. We evaluated prevalence and risk factors for pre-treatment emotional problems in patients irradiated for head-and-neck cancer. Patients and Methods: Twelve characteristics were retrospectively investigated in 213 patients for associations with emotional problems (worry, fear, sadness, depression, nervousness, loss of interest). After Bonferroni adjustment, p-values <0.0042 were regarded significant. Results: At least one emotional problem was reported by 131 patients (61.5%). Specific prevalence for emotional problems ranged between 10% and 44%. Physical complaints showed significant associations with all six emotional problems (p<0.0001) and female sex with sadness (p=0.0013). Trends were found for associations between female sex and fear (p=0.0097), history of another tumor and sadness (p=0.043), worse performance status and nervousness (p=0.012), and cancer site (oropharynx/oral cavity) and nervousness (p=0.063). Conclusion: More than 60% of patients reported emotional distress prior to radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer. Patients with risk factors likely require near-term psycho-oncological assistance.