What is National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer?

The NCCN Distress Thermometer (DT) is a one-item, 11-point Likert scale represented on a visual graphic of a thermometer that ranges from 0 (no distress) to 10 (extreme distress), with which patients indicate their level of distress over the course of the week prior to assessment.

What is NCCN Guidelines in Oncology?

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) are comprised of recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of malignancies across the continuum of care. The NCCN Guidelines® currently apply to more than 97% of cancers affecting patients in the United States.

What is a distress screening tool?

The Distress Thermometer (DT) was developed as a simple tool to effectively screen for symptoms of distress. The instrument is a self-reported tool using a 0-to-10 rating scale. Additionally, the patient is prompted to identify sources of distress using a Problem List.

Who developed the distress thermometer?

This tool was initially developed by the NCCN and many studies have reported that the DT is an effective screening tool for detecting distress among various medical conditions, such as prostate carcinoma [18], bone marrow transplantation [19], lung cancer [20], breast cancer [8] and mixed site cancer [21].

What is distress in cancer?

Psychosocial distress: Distress in cancer has been defined as “a multifactorial unpleasant experience of a psychological (i.e., cognitive, behavioral, emotional), social, spiritual, and/or physical nature that may interfere with one’s ability to cope effectively with cancer, its physical symptoms, and its treatment.

What is cancer related distress?

Cancer-related distress is defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) as: “a multifactorial unpleasant emotional experience of a psychological (cognitive, behavioral, emotional), social and/or spiritual nature that may interfere with the ability to cope effectively with cancer, its physical symptoms …

How do I get access to NCCN guidelines?

To use the NCCN Guidelines App, an individual must be a registered user on NCCN.org. There is no fee to become a registered user on NCCN.org and to view the NCCN Guidelines. Become a registered user (free) on NCCN.org.

What is a distress scale?

The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) [1] is a simple measure of psychological distress. The K10 scale involves 10 questions about emotional states each with a five-level response scale. The measure can be used as a brief screen to identify levels of distress.

When should a patient be screened for distress?

Although distress screening could occur with every patient encounter, ACoS recommends that distress screening occurs “a minimum of one time per patient at a pivotal medical visit to be determined by the program.” Pivotal times include initial diagnosis, beginning and ending treatments, and recurrence or progression.

What are the three most common distressing symptoms that cancer patients experience?

In one study of cancer patients receiving home health-based hospice care, the lack of energy, dry mouth, pain, shortness of breath, feeling bloated and difficulty sleeping were the most distressing problems reported.

Is NCCN account free?

To use the NCCN Guidelines App, an individual must be a registered user on NCCN.org. There is no fee to become a registered user on NCCN.org and to view the NCCN Guidelines.

What is the purpose of NCCN Guidelines?

The intent of the NCCN Guidelines is to assist in the decision-making process of individuals involved in cancer care—including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, payers, patients and their families—with the ultimate goal of improving patient care and outcomes.

What is the Kessler score?

Scores range from 10 – 50. Missing items are excluded from the calculation of the total score. The K-10 is a measure of psychological distress that first should be considered at face value. Higher scores indicate greater psychological distress, whatever the cause.

What is psychosocial distress?

What are the ways to address psychosocial distress?

The five steps of psychosocial distress management are as follows: 1) screening, 2) evaluating, 3) referring, 4) following-up and 5) documenting & quality improvement (See Figure 1).

What are the 2 types of distress?

fact, Hans Selye introduced the concept of stress having two categories: distress and eustress. Distress is stress that negatively affects you and eustress is stress that has a positive effect on you. Eustress is what energizes us and motivates us to make a change.

What is the most common symptom at the end of life?

Fatigue is the most common symptom at the end of life, but little is known about its pathophysiology and specific treatment. Education of the patient and family is the foundation of treatment, with the possible use of adjunctive psychostimulants.

What is the most significant risk resulting from cancer related distress?

Patients with high levels of cancer-related distress may become disabled with depression, anxiety, isolation, panic and existential and spiritual crisis. Prompt diagnosis and management of cancer-related distress can result in improved communication, and decreased healthcare utilization.

What is the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress scale?

The DT, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) single-item and rapid-screening instrument, asks patients to rate their distress on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being extreme distress. On an accompanying problem checklist, patients are asked to indicate what has been a problem for them in the past week. [ 9]

Who developed the NCCN guidelines for distress management for cancer patients?

35 NCCN Guidelines for Patients®: Distress During Cancer Care, 2020 NCCN Contributors The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Distress Management, Version 2.2020 were developed by the following NCCN Panel Members: Michelle B. Riba, MD, MS/Chair University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

How many NCCN Member institutions perform screening for distress?

As of 2012, 14 of 20 responding NCCN Member Institutions (70%) performed routine screening for distress in at least some patient populations. Half of responding centers reported having screened all outpatients for distress. Another survey of 233 APOS

How many cancer centers have started distress screening?

A 2013–2014 survey of applicants for a distress screening cancer education program, spanning 70 institutions, showed that fewer than half of these institutions had not yet begun distress screening. 53 A 2014 survey of 55 cancer centers in the United States and