Introduction
As a result of the progress in cancer treatment, numbers of cancer survivors are rapidly increasing. There is a need to address some of the physical, psychological, and financial needs of patients who complete treatment. There is limited data on the survivorship needs of large cohorts in Australia, as well as how such services can be embedded in cancer services. Here we report the needs of a cohort of patients managed in a public cancer survivorship clinic (CSC).
Methods
Between June 2017 and June 2022, cancer patients undergoing breast, prostate, lymphoma and colorectal cancer treatment in the Gippsland were invited to participate in the nurse lead CSC. The participants complete the NCCN Distress Thermometer (DT) on their first visit. Those who reported a score £ 4 on the DT were asked to complete the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). A cohort also completed the Financial Toxicity (FT) assessment and descriptive statistics were calculated (COST FACIT Score questionnaire).
Results
A total of 454 patients were seen, of whom included 46% (208/454) were breast, 14% (63/454) prostate, 5% (21/454) colorectal cancer, and 5% (25/454) lymphoma patients. Overall, 65% (294/454) completed the DT, and 34% (101/294) of patients were invited to complete a K10. Among 165 patients with complete data, and there was no difference in DT according to gender, age, or cancer, but higher distress on the DT was associated with higher FT (COST FACIT Score £32) (78% distressed vs 53% non-distressed, p=0.002).
Conclusion
This prospective study details the survivorship needs of a large cohort of patients completing radical treatment and how a service can be developed and embedded in cancer services. There is a significant association between high FT and high DT scores, suggesting the needs for action to address this. This data provides valuable information about the cancer types and patient needs that is essential for developing services.