Anxiety and Depression in Adult Survivors of Cancer

Publication Date: April 19, 2023

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

Medical
  • 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

...Management...

...1.0 General Mana...

...endation 1.1All patients with cancer and a...

...on 1.2Clinicians should use a stepped-...

...mmendation 1.3Psychological and psychosocial in...

...ommendation 1.4When making a referra...

...mmendation 1.5For patients who have sy...

...ommendation 1.6For patients referred to and...

...ommendation 1.7If pharmacologic treatmen...

...1.8After 8 weeks of treatment for depression a...


...2.0 Treatm...

...tion 2.1For patients with moderate...

...on 2.2For a patient with moderate s...

...dation 2.3For a patient with severe sym...

...commendation 2.4Treating clinicians may...


...3.0 Treatment and Car...

...ion 3.1For patients with moderate to severe anxi...

...commendation 3.2For a patient with moderate sy...

...dation 3.3For a patient with severe symptom...

...3.4Treating clinicians may offer a pharmacolog...


...ening and Assessment — Depression...


...Map — Depression in Adults With Canc...


Figure 3. Screening and Assessment...


...Map — Generalized Anxiety in Adult...


...that cancer clinical trials are vi...