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Emotional distress in patients with cancer: the sixth vital sign
1 Department of Psychosocial Resources, Tom Baker Cancer Centre/Alberta Cancer Board, and Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and 2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
As the incidence of cancer continues to rise, so too will the rate of emotional distress in cancer patients. Policy makers, hospital administrators, and oncologists must begin to recognize emotional distress as an essential component of patient care, one that requires routine detection, monitoring, and treatment. There are both clinical and economic benefits to addressing the psychosocial needs of these patients.
| Commun Oncol 2006;3:311–314 | full text |  1.0 Mb |