Screening Psychosocial Distress in Head and Neck Cancer

This prospective, multicenter study aims to assess the presence of psychosocial distress using the Distress Thermometer in patients treated for head and neck cancer at the initiation of their speech-language therapy. It also seeks to evaluate the evolution of this distress over a two-month period, as well as its correlation with patient engagement in therapy, functional disorders, and overall quality of life (assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-HN35 questionnaires). By capturing longitudinal changes in distress levels, functional impairments, and patient commitment to therapy, this research seeks to clarify the SLP's role in comprehensive supportive oncology care and optimize timely psychological referrals for vulnerable patients. The study hypothesizes that a significant proportion of patients experience clinically meaningful psychosocial distress (score ≥ 4 on the Distress Thermometer) at the start of speech-language therapy. It is also expected that this distress correlates with lower therapeutic engagement and impaired quality of life, and that early screening by speech-language pathologists will improve the timely referral of patients to psychological support professionals.