By Dr. Sidra Khalid
Cancer is a life-altering diagnosis that not only affects an individual physically, but also mentally and emotionally. When someone goes through different diagnostic and treatment steps in their cancer care journey, he or she likely will experience many emotions. For example, anxiety can arise at different times, such as during:
- the waiting period, when investigations are under way to see if he or she has cancer
- the time of diagnosis
- cancer treatment itself, especially with uncertainty involving side effects
- active surveillance, where imaging and tumor markers are performed to look for cancer recurrence
- at the time of recurrence
During these times, a good physician-patient relationship is needed to help individuals express their concerns. Health care providers must screen their patients for psychiatric disorders, and they should focus on their patients’ mental wellbeing.
- Appropriate steps should be undertaken to protect and improve patients’ mental health, which include:
- Good communication
- Trying conservative methods, such as mindfulness
- Engaging in psychotherapy
- Referral to a psychiatrist
Mental well-being is important for cancer patients because it impacts outcomes. Those who are mentally resilient fare better under the difficult circumstances brought on by this disease. Many individual factors play a role, such as, a prior history of a psychiatric illness, co-morbidity, history of prior substance abuse, lack of communication, socioeconomic status or suicidal history. These factors must be addressed during the management of cancer, as they may alter the treatment plan. Identifying these concerns allows health care professionals to take appropriate steps to help patients and utilize mental health resources in the community. Furthermore, a patient’s social support system, which includes friends and family, is key in maintaining his or her mental health throughout cancer treatment.
Additionally, medications often change patients’ lifestyles and daily routine and can worsen or trigger the onset of a psychiatric illness. An example is the use of steroids with chemotherapy. When taking steroids, individuals can have insomnia, appetite stimulation, increased energy and in some cases mood changes, such as depression or anxiety. Patients need to talk with their provider about which medications they are on and their side effects.
Each patient’s cancer journey is different based on his or her type of cancer, the stage of the cancer, the treatment plan and prognosis. To have the best mental wellbeing throughout a cancer journey, open communication between patients and their cancer doctors is essential. Changes in mental health must be identified and discussed as they emerge. By being vigilant, we can help improve mental health and cancer outcomes.
Dr. Sidra Khalid is a physician with Memorial Physician Clinics seeing patients in hematology and medical oncology. Reach her at (228) 575-1234.