RT Prepare: a radiation therapist-delivered intervention reduces psychological distress in women with breast cancer referred for radiotherapy

• Published in: British journal of cancer 2018-06, Vol.118 (12), p.1549-1558
• Main Authors: Halkett, Georgia, O’Connor, Moira, Jefford, Michael, Aranda, Sanchia, Merchant, Susan, Spry, Nigel, Kane, Robert, Shaw, Thérèse, Youens, David, Moorin, Rachael, Schofield, Penelope
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/700/1719; 692/700/784; Anxiety; Anxiety - etiology; Anxiety - prevention & control; Background radiation; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Cancer Research; Cost assessments; Data collection; Depression - etiology; Depression - prevention & control; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Molecular Medicine; Oncology; Patient Education as Topic - methods; Patients; Radiation; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy - methods; Radiotherapy - psychology; Regression analysis; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Stress, Psychological - prevention & control; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0112-z

Background The aims of this study were to determine whether a radiation therapist-led patient education intervention (RT Prepare) reduced breasts cancer patients’ psychological distress (primary endpoint); anxiety, depression and concerns about radiotherapy, and increased knowledge of radiotherapy and preparedness (secondary endpoints). Patient health system usage and costs were also assessed. Methods A multiple-baseline study across three sites. The RT Prepare intervention comprised two consultations with a radiation therapist: prior to treatment planning and on the first day of treatment. Radiation therapists focused on providing sensory and procedural information and addressing patients’ pre-treatment anxiety. Usual care data were collected prior to intervention commencement. Data collection occurred: after meeting their radiation oncologist, prior to treatment planning, first day of treatment and after treatment completion. Multilevel mixed effects regression models were used. Results In total, 218 usual care and 190 intervention patients participated. Compared with usual care, intervention participants reported lower psychological distress at treatment commencement ( p  = 0.01); lower concerns about radiotherapy ( p