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. 2020 Nov;28(11):5557-5567.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-020-05368-2. Epub 2020 Mar 18.

Immediate post-treatment supportive care needs of patients newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer

Melissa Henry  1   2   3   4   5 , Ali Alias  6 , Maria Cherba  7   8 , Claudia Woronko  7 , Zeev Rosberger  9   7   10 , Michael Hier  9   11   12 , Anthony Zeitouni  12   13 , Karen Kost  12   13 , Alex Mlynarek  11   12   13 , Keith Richardson  12   13 , Martin Black  11   12 , Christina MacDonald  11   14 , Gabrielle Chartier  11   14 , Saul Frenkiel  11   12   13
Affiliations

Immediate post-treatment supportive care needs of patients newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer

Melissa Henry et al. Support Care Cancer. 2020 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed at identifying supportive care needs of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC-P) immediately post-treatment, finding early predictors of unmet needs, and contrasting how immediate post-treatment needs differed from needs in longer-term survivorship.

Methods: Prospective longitudinal study of 223 consecutive adults (313 approached; 72% participation) newly diagnosed with a first occurrence of primary HNC. Patients completed the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form (SCNS), the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, and other outcomes. Medical chart reviews were conducted.

Results: A total of 68% of patients (n = 145/223) completed the SCNS. The multiple linear regression indicated that when controlled for medical variables, patients presented higher levels of unmet needs when they presented with higher level of anxiety upon HNC diagnosis (p = 0.03), higher neuroticism (p = 0.03), and more stressful life events in the year pre-diagnosis (p = 0.01). Patients immediately post-treatment had a wider variety of unmet needs compared with those in extended survivorship, with psychological unmet needs most prevalent at both time points. Immediately post-treatment, patients needed more support regarding pain (p = 0.04) and worries about treatment results (p = 0.05), whereas patients in longer-term survivorship needed more support regarding anxiety (p = 0.02), changes in sexual relationships (p = 0.04), and fear of death and dying (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: This study identifies areas needing further development to improve quality of care for HNC-P in the immediate post-treatment period, as well as early determinants of unmet needs. HNC clinics may want to routinely screen for anxiety, neuroticism, and burden from other life events, to pro-actively address needs upon treatment completion and alleviate disease burden.

Keywords: Head and neck cancer; Oncology; Post-treatment; Supportive care needs; Survivorship.

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