But the floodgates really opened last year when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 31 years old.
“It feels really dumb to feel hopeful.”About a third of cancer patients struggle with depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders, although these conditions often go undetected and undiagnosed.
But this neglect comes at a significant cost, with mortality rates up to 39% higher among cancer patients with depression when compared to those without mental illness.
In a 2023 study of 230,000 patients, 10% of people had depression or anxiety before their cancer diagnosis, and 22% were diagnosed afterward.
Similarly, hormone-blocking drugs, which are commonly used for prostate and breast cancer, can contribute to fatigue and mood changes, while cancer surgeries can profoundly affect one’s body image and sense of self.
Persons:
Simone Webster, ”, Webster, “, ” Webster, Kristin Kilbourn, oncologists, it’s, Kyna Uwaeme, Santosh Rao, ” Rao, Zev Nakamura
Organizations:
University of Colorado, NBC, Washington , D.C, University Hospitals, Cancer, University of North
Locations:
University of Colorado Denver, Washington ,, Cleveland, University of North Carolina