Mask-related anxiety and distress during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

Haryana M Dhillon; Georgia K B Halkett

doi:10.1002/jmrs.695

Mask-related anxiety and distress during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

J Med Radiat Sci. 2023 Sep;70(3):215-217. doi: 10.1002/jmrs.695. Epub 2023 Jun 16.

Authors

Haryana M Dhillon^{1

2}, Georgia K B Halkett³

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, Psycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
² Centre for Medical Psychology & Evidence-Based Decision-Making, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Curtin School of Nursing/Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI), Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.

Abstract

Some patients experience mask-related anxiety and distress when undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Building on the paper by Forbes et al (doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.658) this editorial discusses techniques to implement to improve the patient experience through education and support.

© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology.

Publication types

Editorial

MeSH terms

Anxiety* / etiology
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / radiotherapy
Humans