Analysis of NCCN-distress thermometer in patients with ovarian cancer: results of 150 patients prior to cytoreductive ovarian cancer surgery

Abstract

This analysis aimed to describe the psychological stress in patients with ovarian cancer prior to radical surgery, with a particular focus on age. The National Comperhensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Thermometer (DT) was administered to 150 women undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer last week prior to surgery. We compared our data, which is a subanalysis from the “Role of Predictive Markers for Severe Postoperative Complications in Gynecological Cancer Surgery” (RISC-Gyn)-Trial with a multicenter epidemiological study as a control group, including 1913 female cancer patients from Germany. Overall, 150 patients with ovarian cancer were enrolled, of which 126 patients (82.4%) with advanced-stage disease International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO III–IV), and 55 patients (37%) ≥65 years. Younger patients reported more fears, worries, and sadness and wished to be more involved in treatment decisions. Worries were three times more frequently reported by patients with a university degree. These patients had more emotional problems such as fears, worries, sadness, and nervousness than the control group. Sustainable psychological support and professional advice in school, work, and financial management could help ovarian cancer patients reduce their stress factors especially the younger women under the age 65. Empowering patients by involving them in treatment decisions seems to be one of the crucial issues we need to address in our future clinical work.