A new study found that one-third, or 32 percent, of people diagnosed with cancer, are struggling with mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. The rate is so much higher than the mental disorder rate of the general population, which is only at 20 percent.
Study author Anja Mehnert worked with her colleagues from the University of Leipzig in Germany in conducting an interview with more than 2,100 people diagnosed with cancer, aged between 18 and 75. The questions focused on identifying if the cancer patients had symptoms of mental health problems for the past four weeks.
After carefully reviewing and tabulating the responses of the participants, breast cancer patients were twice as likely to experience a mental disorder than people with more typically fatal forms of cancer, such as stomach or pancreatic cancer.
"It kind of surprised us, because breast cancer is one of the most treatable cancers and most of the women have a very positive prognosis," Prof. Mehnert told Healthday News.
Only 20 percent of those with pancreatic, prostate or stomach cancers, on the other hand, had at least one mental disorder.
Further analysis showed that the most common types of mental health problems experienced by a cancer patient were anxiety disorders and adjustment disorders. According to Healio, 12 percent of the participants showed symptoms of anxiety disorders, 11 percent had adjustment disorders, while 7 percent had mood disorders.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, adjustment disorders occur when a person is unable to adjust or cope with a major life event, while mood disorders are marked by major depression.
Researchers recommended that doctors should be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental and emotional distress displayed by cancer patients to lessen the long-term risks associated with these disorders.
"We also want to reassure patients who are struggling that they are not alone or unique, and that these mental and emotional challenges can be temporary, especially with effective psychological support or state-of-the-art mental health treatment," Mehnert said.
Further details of the study were published in the Oct.6 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
