Pre-treatment Emotional Distress in Patients Irradiated for Malignant Glioma

A recommendation of radiotherapy for patients with malignant gliomas may trigger emotional distress. Frequency and risk factors of this complication were investigated.Prevalence of six emotional problems and 11 potential risk factors were evaluated in 103 patients irradiated for grade II-IV gliomas. p-Values <0.0045 were considered significant.Seventy-six patients (74%) had ≥1 emotional problem. Prevalence of specific emotional problems ranged between 23% and 63%. Associations were found between ≥5 physical problems and worry (p=0.0010), fear (p=0.0001), sadness (p=0.0023), depression (p=0.0006), and loss of interest (p=0.0006), and Karnofsky performance score ≤80 and depression (p=0.0002). Trends were found for physical problems and nervousness (p=0.040), age ≥60 years and depression (p=0.043) or loss of interest (p=0.045), grade IV glioma and sadness (p=0.042), and ≥2 involved sites and loss of interest (p=0.022).Three-fourths of glioma patients had pre-radiotherapy emotional distress. Psychological support should be offered very soon, particularly for high-risk patients.