Having cancer at a young age increases the risk of depression and anxiety in the future

Adults who had cancer when they were young suffer more from mental disorders such as depression or anxiety than those who did not face the disease or who were diagnosed at an older age, according to a new study conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan in the United States and published in May in the scientific journal Jama .

According to the authors, although the impact of cancer treatment on mental health is well documented, there are few studies on the trajectory of survivors throughout life. “This topic is not discussed specifically, but it is known that stressful or traumatic events in childhood and adolescence increase the risk of mental disorders in adulthood,” says psychiatrist Elton Kanomata, from Einstein Hospital Israelita.

To assess mental health outcomes in adults over 50, the authors used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) , a study that gathers data from around 40,000 participants, interviewed every two years since 1992.

The volunteers were divided into three groups: those with a history of cancer in adolescence or young adulthood, those diagnosed after the age of 40, and those who had never had the disease.

The analysis reveals that those who faced a tumor between the ages of 15 and 39 have a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders and use more medication for anxiety and depression compared to those diagnosed later. The rate of mental health problems in this group was 16% compared to 37% in the other group; and the need for medication was 25% compared to 33% in the others.

The authors say the findings suggest that the stress of the disease early in life — including side effects, fertility issues and even financial issues — can have lasting effects. According to the article, doctors and other health care professionals should take this impact into account when treating these patients.

Source: Einstein Agency

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