'Having the mask on didn't worry me until … they clamped my head down so I wouldn't move': A qualitative study exploring anxiety in patients with head and neck cancer during radiation therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

More than 20% of patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer report anxiety specifically related to the immobilisation mask, a tight-fighting mask patients are required to wear for the duration of each treatment session. However, limited research has investigated this from the patient perspective. The aim of this study was to better understand patient experiences of mask anxiety during head and neck cancer radiation therapy and to explore patient attitudes toward potential strategies that may reduce mask anxiety during this treatment.

Methods

Five patients with head and neck cancer, who had self-reported mask anxiety during radiation therapy, participated in semi-structured, qualitative interviews exploring their experiences of anxiety and sug

SUBMITTER: Forbes E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10500108 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature