ArticleOncology nursing forum2017
The Distress Thermometer: Cutoff Points and Clinical Use
Article in Oncology nursing forum, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06726317 (The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Psychological Distress, and Effectiveness of a 'Life Situation Improving Intervention' Among Oral Cancer Patients Attending Tertiary Care Hospitals in the Colombo District), which is not on this map. Cited by 122 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Psychological Distress, and Effectiveness of a 'Life Situation Improving Intervention' Among Oral Cancer Patients Attending Tertiary Care Hospitals in the Colombo District
Who cites it
122 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Distress Thermometer for Screening Distress in Asian Patients with Cancer.Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings · 2021Pooled it
- Impact of an Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome-Informed Clinical Decision Support Tool on Clinical Discussions With Head and Neck Cancer Survivors: Findings From the HN-STAR Randomized Controlled Trial (WF-1805CD).JCO oncology practice · 2025Trial
- Colorectal Cancer Legal and Administrative Burden Support (COLLABS): A Pilot Clinical Trial.JCO oncology practice · 2025Trial
- Bright White Light Therapy for Nonpharmacologic Management of Side Effects in Hospitalized Patients With Acute Leukemia.Oncology nursing forum · 2025Trial
- Ruxolitinib Adherence in Myelofibrosis and Polycythemia Vera: the "RAMP" Italian multicenter prospective study.Annals of hematology · 2024Trial
- Acceptability and Feasibility of eSCCIP: Results From a Pilot Study of the Electronic Surviving Cancer Competently Intervention Program.Journal of pediatric psychology · 2023Trial
- Feasibility of a virtual reality intervention targeting distress and anxiety symptoms in patients with primary brain tumors: Interim analysis of a phase 2 clinical trial.Journal of neuro-oncology · 2023Trial
- Effects of the Heart to Heart Card Game for Patients with Advanced Cancer Receiving Home-Based Palliative Care: A Clinical Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Psychological distress among medically complex veterans with a recent emergency department visit.Psychological services · 2022Trial
- Meaning-Centered Pain Coping Skills Training: A Pilot Feasibility Trial of a Psychosocial Pain Management Intervention for Patients with Advanced Cancer.Journal of palliative medicine · 2022Trial
- Problem-solving skills training in adult cancer survivors: Bright IDEAS-AC pilot study.Cancer treatment and research communications · 2022Trial
- Effect of Personalized Breast Cancer Risk Tool on Chemoprevention and Breast Imaging: ENGAGED-2 Trial.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2021Trial
- Videoconference Intervention for Distance Caregivers of Patients With Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.JCO oncology practice · 2021Trial
- Assessment of Financial Toxicity Among Older Adults With Advanced Cancer.JAMA network open · 2020Trial
- A Pilot Study of a Primary Palliative Care Communication Intervention (PRECURSOR) to Address Supportive Oncology Needs for Patients With Incurable Cancer and Their Caregivers in the Outpatient Oncology Setting.Cancer control : journal of the Moffitt Cancer CenterTrial
- Distress screening and management for adolescents and young adults: 2022 NCI community oncology program landscape assessment.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Symptoms experienced during the first 4 months of chemotherapy administration: a longitudinal cohort study in an Australian cancer treatment unit.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Preliminary feedback from adult oncology clinic providers on a psychosocial screening tool for young adult patients with cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Daily Symptom Home Monitoring Decreases Hospital Readmissions in Children and Young Adults With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.Cancer medicine · 2026Article
- Perceived stress, distress, burden, and caregiving preparedness in family caregivers of patients with hematologic malignancies during the first months of treatment.Journal of psychosocial oncology · 2026Article
62 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Purpose/Objectives: To establish an optimal cutoff point for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Distress Thermometer (DT) as a screening measure to identify and address psychological distress in individuals with cancer, and to examine whether distress as measured by the DT significantly changes across the treatment trajectory. Design: Secondary analyses of baseline data from a longitudinal parent study examining a computerized psychosocial assessment. Setting: Three diverse comprehensive cancer centers across the United States. Sample: 836 patients with a current or past diagnosis of cancer. Methods: Study participants were selected from a randomized clinical trial. Patients during any stage of the cancer treatment trajectory were recruited during a chemotherapy infusion or routine oncology appointment. Main Research Variables: The Behavioral Health Status Index and the DT were administered and compared using receiver operating characteristic analyses. Findings: Results support a cutoff score of 3 on the DT to indicate patients with clinically elevated levels of distress. In addition, patients who received a diagnosis within the 1–4 weeks prior to the assessment indicated the highest levels of distress. Conclusions: Providers may wish to use a cutoff point of 3 to most efficiently identify distress in a large, diverse population of patients with cancer. In addition, results indicate that patients may experience a heightened state of distress within 1–4 weeks postdiagnosis compared to other stages of coping with cancer. Implications for Nursing: Using a brief measure of distress can help streamline the process of screening for psychosocial distress.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.