Effects of screening for psychological distress on patient outcomes in cancer: A systematic review

Effects of screening for psychological distress on patient outcomes in cancer: A systematic review

Conclusion

Treatment studies reported modest improvement in distress symptoms, but only a single eligible study was found on the effects of screening cancer patients for distress, and distress did not improve in screened patients versus those receiving usual care. Because of the lack of evidence of beneficial effects of screening cancer patients for distress, it is premature to recommend or mandate implementation of routine screening.