A recent study published in BJU International reports high levels of distress among people with the most common form of kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Four hundred and fifty (450) people were surveyed online from April to June 2017. Most patients where white (93 %) and more than half were women (56 %). The mean age was 56 years and 74 % had non-metastatic disease and 61 % had disease recurrence. Distress was measured by using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Thermometer, which ranks the feeling from zero (no distress) to 10 (extreme distress).

“We observed that more than 70 percent of patients report moderate to severe distress, even if these patients have completed treatment and are in the survivorship period of their lives,” said Cristiane Decat Bergerot PhD in an interview with CURE.

Moderate to severe distress was reported by 77 % of patients. It was more common in younger women who had non-clear cell histology (20 to 25 % of all RCC cases) and disease recurrence.

The researchers suggest that interventions are needed to target this population of patients to help lower levels of distress and anxiety.

Read the full article in CURE here