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Support, survivorship concerns unmet in thyroid cancer
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Many support needs and survivorship concerns are left unmet by patients with thyroid cancer, although patients consider them of high importance, according to recent study findings published in Thyroid.
Stephanie Morley, BA, MPH, of Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, and Melanie Goldfarb, MD, MS, FACS, FACE, of the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, evaluated data from survey results from the ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association website on 2,000 patients with thyroid cancer older than 15 years at diagnosis to determine unmet support needs and survivorship concerns.
Melanie Goldfarb
“In doing so, clinicians may become better equipped to deliver information and support in such a way as to improve both physical and psychosocial outcomes for [thyroid cancer] patients,” they wrote.
The online survey evaluated the importance and recollection of receiving care that addresses medical/physical issues, practical matters and emotional/psychological concerns at the time of diagnosis and treatment.
Eventually, 95.8% of all participants had a total thyroidectomy, and 80.6% had radioiodine therapy.
Receiving information about long-term health and health effects after treatment or any practical matter or emotional/psychological concern was recalled by fewer than half of the participants. Medical and physical issues were rated as the most important followed by emotional and psychological concerns and practical matters.
Compared with men and older participants, women and younger participants were less likely to recall receiving information. However, participants who were diagnosed within the past year were more likely to receive information compared with patients with a longer duration of disease.
“Make sure to broach these potential information needs and survivorship concerns with all cancer patients, and refer patients as needed to appropriate resources which may include reputable websites, support groups, a social worker, or another clinician,” Goldfarb told Endocrine Today. – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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