Anxiety and Depression in Adult Survivors of Cancer
Key Points
Key Points
- The psychological toll cancer takes on the growing population of survivors is often overlooked.
- Identification and treatment of cancer patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders, either pre existing or newly arising, remains imperative.
- Along with depression, anxiety is common among this population and continues to be an under addressed condition.
Table 1. Risk Factors for Anxiety and Depression in Cancer
- Advanced disease
- Intense or aggressive treatment(s); multiple treatments
- Higher symptom/side effect, adverse event burden
- Co-morbid medical conditions
- Few rehabilitative options
- Poor patient/doctor relationship
Personal
- Prior psychiatric history
- Past trauma history
- Helpless/hopeless outlook
- Low education level
- Low income
- Marital/interpersonal relationship conflict
- Younger age (<40)
Social
- Singleton (without marital or other partner)
- Limited social contacts
- Insufficient social support
- Limited access to service resources
- Socioenvironmental stressors
- Social stigma
Management
Manageme...
...eral Management Principles...
...on 1.1All patients with cancer and any patien...
...commendation 1.2Clinicians should use a st...
...ecommendation 1.3Psychological and p...
...1.4When making a referral for further evaluat...
...1.5For patients who have symptoms of bo...
...dation 1.6For patients referred to a...
...endation 1.7If pharmacologic treatment is...
...ommendation 1.8After 8 weeks of treatment...
...and Care Options for Depressive Symptoms...
....1For patients with moderate to seve...
...dation 2.2For a patient with moderate s...
...ation 2.3For a patient with severe symptoms...
...ommendation 2.4Treating clinicians may offer a p...
...ent and Care Options for Anxiety Symp...
...ecommendation 3.1For patients with moderate to...
...tion 3.2For a patient with moderate sympto...
...mmendation 3.3For a patient with severe sympt...
....4Treating clinicians may offer a pharm...
...reening and Assessment — Depression in Adul...
...Care Map — Depression in Adults With Cancer...
...3. Screening and Assessment — Anxiety in Ad...
...e Map — Generalized Anxiety in Adults With...
...elieves that cancer clinical trials are vit...