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

...1.0 General...

...1.1All patients with cancer and any patie...

...commendation 1.2Clinicians should use a stepped...

...tion 1.3Psychological and psychosoc...

...ation 1.4When making a referral for f...

...ndation 1.5For patients who have sympt...

...commendation 1.6For patients referred to an...

....7If pharmacologic treatment is used, the...

...on 1.8After 8 weeks of treatment for depre...


...2.0 Tre...

...ion 2.1For patients with moderate...

...2.2For a patient with moderate sym...

...n 2.3For a patient with severe sympt...

...endation 2.4Treating clinicians may offer a p...


...3.0 Trea...

....1For patients with moderate to se...

....2For a patient with moderate sympto...

Recommendation 3.3For a patient with se...

...mmendation 3.4Treating clinicians may offer a phar...


Figure 1. Screening and Assessment — Depressi...


...are Map — Depression in Adults W...


...creening and Assessment — Anxiety in Adults W...


...igure 4. Care Map — Generalized Anxi...


...at cancer clinical trials are vital to inf...