Session Item

The aim of this analysis was to investigate the role of psycho-oncologist during radiotherapy (RT) and the role of tele-consult.

According to the own care management policy of our Department, all patients during RT were welcome to receive freely and charge-free an assessment regarding their cognitive, emotional and physical state and related psycho-oncological support during treatment. A set of screening tests that investigate emotional distress and patient’s mood is administered, including: Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Distress Thermometer, Brief Cope, Impact of Event Scale-Revised.
During RT, easy tools, such as Mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, were performed to manage stress, reducing physical symptoms, mood and sleep disturbances. These psycho-therapeutic approaches were developed in individual sessions and/or in small group sessions. after RT, patients could be followed by tele-consultation or phycological evaluation on site.

Between June 2019 and December 2021, 2727 patients underwent to RT. Of these, 2290 (84%) accepted to participate in psycho-oncological support program receiving at least a first evaluation. Excluding patients treated with short RT course (1-5 fractions), the remaining 1145 cases (50%) were followed during RT course with structured psycho-oncological interviews for a median of 3 sessions (range 2-5). In this subgroup, the median RT fractions were 25 (range 15-33). The median age was 60 years (range 20-78). Female were 1671 (73%) and male 619 (27%). The most represented cancer type was breast with 852 cases (51%), followed by prostate  123 (20%), gynecology/GI (98 12%), H&N/lung ( 74 10%) and brain (50 7%). Of the patients followed, 114 cases were followed for psychological disorders by external specialists. All patients completed their treatment without delay reporting a reduction in RT anxiety during the interviews and a "feeling of welcome". 82 patients were followed after RT, 30 with on-site consult and 52 with tele-consult. the consultation via web (video call) were well tolerated and comfortable for patients. However for phycologists, the evaluation of body is more difficult.

The approach to the patient in a RT center should be multidisciplinary and the result of a growing collaboration between physicians, physicists, technicians, nurses and administrators, with the coordination of the psycho-oncologist, whose role cannot be omitted, as long as a cure can be offered that takes into consideration not only the patient (who is affected by cancer) but the person. The role of phycologists after active treatment is necessary for some patients and the  possibility of teleconsultation is helpful for patients but it is important for phycologist to improve his-her know-how  for tele- evaluation. The person at the center of care, even when staying at home.