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

Managemen...

....0 General Management Principl...

...dation 1.1All patients with cancer and...

...mendation 1.2Clinicians should use a steppe...

Recommendation 1.3Psychological and p...

...n 1.4When making a referral for furth...

...commendation 1.5For patients who have sym...

...mmendation 1.6For patients referred to and re...

...mendation 1.7If pharmacologic treatment is us...

...tion 1.8After 8 weeks of treatment for...


...0 Treatment and Care Options for Depre...

...2.1For patients with moderate to severe depressive...

...ation 2.2For a patient with moderate sympt...

...mmendation 2.3For a patient with severe...

...tion 2.4Treating clinicians may offer a pharma...


...Treatment and Care Options for Anxie...

...commendation 3.1For patients with mod...

...mendation 3.2For a patient with moderate symptoms...

Recommendation 3.3For a patient with se...

...tion 3.4Treating clinicians may offer a pharmaco...


...ure 1. Screening and Assessment — Depressi...


Figure 2. Care Map — Depression in Adult...


...ure 3. Screening and Assessment — Anxie...


...ap — Generalized Anxiety in Adults With Cancer...


...s that cancer clinical trials are vital to infor...