Psycho-Oncology
Psychological support for cancer patients — distress screening, adjustment disorder, and counselling
Patient: Kavitha Nair, 55F
UHID: UH-2026-0801
Oncology Diagnosis: Laryngeal carcinoma T3N1M0
Treatment Phase: Post-chemoradiation — palliative care
Referred By: Dr. P. Singh (Oncology)
Referral Reason: Anxiety, grief, fear of death — not coping with prognosis
Distress Screening & Assessment
| Scale | Score | Classification | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distress Thermometer (DT) | 8/10 | Severe | Immediate psychosocial intervention indicated |
| PHQ-9 (Depression) | 15 | Moderate-Severe | Consider SSRI — Escitalopram 10 mg OD discussed |
| GAD-7 (Anxiety) | 14 | Moderate | Anxiolytic: Clonazepam 0.25 mg PRN (palliative context) |
| Brief COPE | Emotion-focused (denial, venting) | Maladaptive | Shift toward acceptance coping — CBT techniques |
| FACIT-Sp (Spiritual) | 28/48 | Below threshold | Spiritual distress — chaplaincy referral |