Distress Management Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

Abstract

Guidelines for the management of psychosocial and spiritual distress in oncology are important, because every single patient at every stage of disease, irrespective of the treatment, deals with issues that cause some level of distress. Although surveys have found that between 20% and 40% of patients show a significant level of distress, fewer than 10% of patients are actually referred for psychosocial help. The NCCN Distress Management Guidelines include input providing from all the disciplines involved in supportive psychosocial services and counseling to assist oncology teams understand, recognize, and patients' distress. For the most recent version of the guidelines, please visit NCCN.org