A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer

Objective Physiological and psychological sequelae are frequent after a cancer diagnosis and also on the long term. Screening could help detect psychological distress early and thus enable timely provision of adequate treatment. The emotion thermometer (ET) is a validated screening tool including five dimensions (distress, anxiety, depression, anger, and need-for-help). Reviewing the literature, we aimed to describe (a) the validity and (b) the application of the ET. Methods Six databases were systematically searched for studies using the ET in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Included studies were critically appraised for methodological quality. ET validity and application were narratively synthesized. Results We identified 580 records eligible for title-abstract screening. Seventeen studies based on 13 different populations were included. Validation studies (5 of 17) concluded that the ET is sensitive to distress detection, delivering prompt and accurate results with no negative impact on clinic visit time. Furthermore, its use is accepted in patients and clinicians. The remaining 12 exploratory studies applied the ET for screening purposes (3 of 12), as outcome measure (6 of 12), or as predictor variable measure (3 of 12). Most studies were conducted in Europe (11 of 17), and 7 of the 12 exploratory studies used the recommended cutoff (greater than or equal to 4). Study populations were mostly female (9 of 13) with a mean age greater than 50 years (12 of 13) at study. Conclusions Publications on distress screening with the ET are scarce, especially among young populations. However, research and studies' recommendations support the ET's utility as a valid and feasible tool for distress screening including anxiety and depression and suggest its implementation as part of a structured program for early screening in cancer care.