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Calming panic states in the Mould Room and beyond: A pilot complementary therapy head and neck cancer service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2011

Peter Mackereth ,
Lynne Tomlinson ,
Paula Maycock ,
Graeme Donald ,
Ann Carter ,
Anita Mehrez ,
Patricia Lawrence  and
Tony Stanton
Peter Mackereth*
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Lynne Tomlinson
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Paula Maycock
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Graeme Donald
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Ann Carter
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Anita Mehrez
Affiliation:
CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Patricia Lawrence
Affiliation:
Superintendent Radiographer, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
Tony Stanton
Affiliation:
Mould Room Manager, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
*
Correspondence to: Peter Mackereth, CALM Team, Complementary Therapy & Smoking Cessation Services, Rehabilitation Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK. E-mail: peter.mackereth@christie.nhs.uk
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Abstract

Purpose: The service was piloted in response to requests for assistance with patients experiencing severe anxiety undergoing head and neck radiotherapy. This paper describes the aims of the service, interventions provided and the recorded responses of patients to the support given.

Data: Information about who referred, patient demographics, the interventions provided and patient feedback (n = 112) was extracted from treatment records over a 15-month period.

Findings: All referred patients successfully completed procedures and treatment. About 43 patients voluntarily disclosed past trauma, for example, sexual abuse, assault, childhood trauma, which they judged to have been linked to their claustrophobic responses. Advice and support was given to 40 patients also referred for smoking cessation; an additional three patients requested support when cravings returned.

Conclusion: There is a paucity of information about the extent of the distress triggered by radiotherapy procedures and what interventions could be offered in practice. Further work is required to include an economic assessment and longer term effects on patient compliance with treatment and smoking cessation. Training needs for complementary therapists and radiotherapy staff at this centre were also identified; these are being addressed.

Keywords

Head and neck cancersmasksmouldsradiotherapy immobilizationanxietypanichypnotherapy
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , June 2012 , pp. 83 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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