Breast cancer survivors may suffer psychological problems

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Breast cancer survivors could increase their risk of anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and other mental health issues, according to a new study.

The team reviewed data from 60 previously published studies on breast cancer patients focusing on psychological problems and cognitive and sexual function difficulties after one or more years of treatment.

"It is necessary to become more aware of the fact that anxiety, depression and cognitive and sexual disorders are common after breast cancer and that a treatment is available," said Helena Carrera, principal investigator at the London School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Very likely to adapt to a transgression of the disease and its consequences. In addition to previous studies, this study, published at the National Cancer Institute, looked more closely at the potential of many mental health problems after breast cancer treatment by women. For example, a smaller study in the research review found that the risk of anxiety among survivors was twice as high as in others and that the rate was similar for depression.

Dr. Vermonta Meyer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Center in Boston, who was not part of the study, notes that the studies reviewed focus primarily on older women, while rates of anxiety and depression should be higher among young survivors. She also e-mailed that survivors could experience severe psychological problems in the first few years after the diagnosis of the disease.