NCCN Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Resources for Cancer-Related Distress Worldwide During Mental Health Awareness Month
Plymouth Meeting, PA — National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) announced that the NCCN Distress Thermometer and Problem List, the rapid and validated one-page screening tool (scale 0-10) for identifying and addressing distress in cancer patients, is now available in more than 70 languages to help identify mental, physical, social, or spiritual issues that may make it harder for patients to cope with cancer, its symptoms, or its treatment. All people worldwide can visit NCCN.org/distress-thermometer to access the NCCN Distress Thermometer Screening Tool free of charge in the available languages. NCCN also provides free resources to guide healthcare providers in addressing distress, and updated versions for patients and their caregivers in easy-to-understand language, with visuals and glossaries, funded by NCCN Foundation®. “Mental Health Awareness Month every May serves as an important reminder of how social-emotional well-being can affect cancer patients,” said Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer of NCCN. “Providing high-quality cancer care means treating the patient comprehensively, identifying and addressing all practical and psychological issues that arise. We continually update the NCCN Distress Thermometer and Problem List in multiple languages to ensure everyone gets the help they need.” The Distress Thermometer was downloaded almost 7,000 times globally in 2025, with the highest numbers in Germany, Brazil, India, China, and Switzerland. An abstract of research presented at the NCCN 2026 Annual Conference is available at JNCCN.org, by Babayan et al. The abstract validates the translation of the NCCN Distress Thermometer as a culturally appropriate and useful means to identify psychological disorders in Armenian-speaking patients. This finding supports integration of its use to improve cancer care. Through independent, peer-reviewed research in 25 countries, the NCCN Distress Thermometer has been established as an effective distress measure and was published in Psycho-Oncology in 2022. In addition to English, a full list of languages available includes: * Shows several language versions available. The NCCN Distress Thermometer is a core element of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Distress Management. It is part of a comprehensive library of evidence-based guidelines and consensus from experts administered by more than 2,000 multidisciplinary specialists, covering a range of cancers and topics such as pain, fatigue, smoking cessation, and survivorship. There are currently 91 NCCN Guidelines® containing best practices for supportive care, screening, prevention, and treatment for nearly every type of cancer. There are more than 90 global adaptations of NCCN Guidelines and more than 180 translations. Nearly half of all NCCN.org users are outside the United States. Learn more about the various resources at NCCN for advancing international cancer care at NCCN.org/global. About National Comprehensive Cancer Network National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is a non-profit alliance of leading cancer centres dedicated to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is committed to setting and advancing high-quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care and prevention so that everyone lives better. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) provide expert consensus-based, evidence-driven recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services. These guidelines have become the standard for clinical guidance and policy in cancer care and represent the most comprehensive practice guidelines in medicine, frequently updated across all medical disciplines. NCCN Guidelines for Patients® provide cancer treatment information from experts to empower patients and care providers with support from the NCCN Foundation®. NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and collaborative research and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information.
Media contact:
Rachel Darwin
267-622-6624
darwin@nccn.org
SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network