A cancer patient will have different phases in the cancer journey (from suspect of having cancer to survivorship to end-of-life) in which there is an inevitable triggering of psychological distress, which can be of any type and which may be of varying degree of severity. Patients have different ways of coping with the distress. Patients have different ways of surviving cancer. Patients have different ways of preparing for the eventuality.
Survey on the psychological distress experienced by Filipino cancer patients in different phases of cancer journey
This survey will explore the different types of psychological distress being experienced by Filipino cancer patients in the different phases of their cancer journey, their usual severity, and the usual coping mechanism utilized and their effectivity. It will also explore what are the psychological and psychosocial support that are needed for the cancer patients. It will also try to explore what are the factors that contribute to the psychological distress and severity as well as success of coping mechanism.
Please try to recall the different phases of your cancer journey and the type of psychological distress you experienced before, the degree of distress and how you cope with it and what is your current status in terms of coping.
Tentative list of phases to be validated.
Note: Although numerically arranged, this is done more for convenience and comprehensiveness and which may not be chronologically valid and applicable to all cancer patients. Some patients will not pass through all the phases in the list. Some patients are still not in the later phases. Some phases may not be applicable as they did not happen in the cancer journey (example, Phase 3 - not all patients undergo diagnostic tests and waiting for results; Phase 6 - not all patients undergo definitive treatment; Phase 8 - not all patients have complications and side-effects after treatment; etc.),
Phase 1: Felt a symptom that made you suspect possible cancer which eventually turned out to be really cancer.
Phase 2: Consulted a physician for the symptom that made you suspect possible cancer which eventually turned out to be really cancer.
Phase 3: Underwent diagnostic tests and waiting for the results.
Phase 4: Told by the physician that cancer was the diagnosis for your symptom and after given explanation and recommendations of the plan of treatment.
Phase 5: Waiting for definitive treatment to start.
Phase 6: During definitive treatment.
Phase 7: Awaiting results of histopathology results after an operation.
Phase 8: Told to have complications and side-effects after treatment.
Phase 9: Told to have failure of treatment.
Phase 10: Told there is a need to have additional treatment after the initial treatment.
Phase 11: Told to have life-time cancer surveillance for recurrence after treatment.
Phase 12: First 6 months after treatment.
Phase 13: Seventh to 12th month after treatment (no evidence of recurrence).
Phase 14: Second year after treatment (no evidence of recurrence).
Phase 15: Third to fifth year after treatment (no evidence of recurrence)
Phase 16: More than 5 years after treatment (no evidence of recurrence).
Phase 17: Told to have recurrence of cancer.
Phase 18: Told to have progression of cancer.
Phase 19: Told of very small chance of control of an advanced cancer.
Phase 20: Told to be near end-of-life and to prepare advance directive.
ROJ@20oct14