Stellenwert der Psychoonkologie und ihre Versorgungslage an Zentren für Tumororthopädie

Introduction: Psychosocial screening has not been implemented into diagnosis-related guidelines for the treatment of orthopedic tumor patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the significance of psycho-oncology in orthopedic institutions specialized in musculoskeletal tumors as well as the opinion and clinical experience of the treating physicians. Methods: In total 60 orthopedic institutions were recruited. Data were assessed and analyzed by a newly developed, standardized questionnaire. To detect specific, demographic differences results were additionally analyzed according to gender, age and professional experience. Results: A total of 118 physicians from 47 institutions participated. Significant differences between professional experience groups were obtained regarding the wish for psychosocial treatment in cases of own illness (p=0.032) and the difficulty of addressing patient feelings (p=0.05). Conclusions: The majority of orthopedic physicians deemed psycho-oncology important. To ensure a holistic approach to the treatment of orthopedic tumor patients, psycho-oncological aspects should be implemented in diagnosis-related guidelines.