Immediate impairment: 50% of people with cancer have psychiatric disorders
More than 50% of cancer patients have at least one mental health disorder, the Right to Health Congress said. These disorders include depression and adjustment disorders. According to experts, despite measures to raise awareness about effective ways to fight cancer, there are still patients who are afraid to go to the doctor. About how psychological help is provided to people with cancer — in the material of Izvestia.
What problems do cancer patients face?
More than half of cancer patients have at least one mental disorder, said Anna Merzlyakova, head of the Department of Medical Rehabilitation at the P. A. Herzen Moscow State Medical Institute, during the congress "The Right to Health."
— Among them are adjustment disorders with decreased mood and mixed emotional traits, unipolar major depression (a mental disorder characterized by a long period of depressed mood, loss of interest in life. — Ed.), — she specified.
In addition, at least a quarter of cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy suffer from depression, while almost half of them experience anxiety and severe respiratory failure (distress syndrome).
Awareness of effective ways to fight cancer is increasing every year in Russia, so there are fewer fears of getting cancer, Alexander Petrovsky, Deputy Director for Scientific and Educational Activities at the N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center for Oncology, said at the congress.
"But there are still those who don't go to the doctors for various reasons, including fear," the doctor said. — Every year in the country, about 15 thousand people (or 5% of the cancer mortality rate) die from malignant neoplasms without knowing about it. Tumors are detected postmortem.
Alexander Petrovsky recalled that about 700,000 oncological diseases are registered annually in Russia, with about 300,000 cases resulting in death.
How psychologists work with cancer patients
Mental health problems that occur in cancer patients are in most cases a reaction to a diagnosis, Evgenia Misyavichute, a clinical psychologist at the R. M. Gorbacheva Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology and supervisor of the AdVita Foundation, told Izvestia.
— Cancer patients have problems adapting to the disease — supports collapse, all kinds of psychological, sometimes mental problems arise. Then drug therapy is often used, because otherwise the patient will not have the resources and strength to fight the underlying disease," she said.
Cancer patients experience significant psychological pressure and often face stigmatization in society, oncologist Alexey Maschan added.
— Whatever the success of oncology, treatment, even if it is effective, is not easy — it includes surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and radiation. Many people perceive cancer as an inevitable death, and they often hide their diagnoses," the doctor noted.
When cancer occurs, life changes a lot, but this is not a verdict, said Lyubov Elkina, a specialist in the Alter psychotherapy service. According to her, anxiety and a decrease in mood with such a diagnosis are inevitable, but whether they develop into a disorder depends on the characteristics of the patient's nervous system, his environment and the availability of psychological help.
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Health with a request to provide data on how much the number of cancer patients with mental disorders has increased compared to 2024.
Where can I get help
More than 80% of cancer patients and even more relatives who are involved in the treatment process need psychological help, Olga Goldman, head of the Clear Morning Cancer Care service, confirmed.
Her organization receives more than 3,000 requests for support from cancer patients every month. This assistance can be of various types: short-term or long-term, medical or non-medical, psychological or psychiatric.
— One of the main directions is the prevention of treatment refusals. For example, a patient finds out about a diagnosis and does not go to the doctor because of fear. According to unofficial data, up to 15% of patients do not return after diagnosis. If a cancer patient receives the support of a psychologist on time, then the condition becomes less severe and paralyzing," she explained.
Olga Goldman noted that, according to a study conducted by her company in 2021 in collaboration with the Scientific Research Institute of Healthcare Organization and Medical Management, relatives of people with cancer experience more stress than the patients themselves.
— Relatives have even less control, they cannot take any action to fight the disease. The most they can do is find a doctor and pay for his services. People whose loved ones are in the final stages of cancer are particularly affected," the expert noted.
Evgenia Misyavichute said that "patient schools" and conferences are organized for people with cancer and their loved ones, and doctors in polyclinics are trained to detect the disease earlier.
— In addition, professional examinations, medical examinations, and examinations are regularly conducted. But now there are not enough specialized specialists in the regions to treat cancer and recover from it. Another difficulty is that there are many myths related to cancer and its treatment," she added.
According to Evgeniya Misyavichute, federal cancer centers employ a large staff of psychologists who advise patients even before hospitalization.
The way out of this situation may be to create psychological support groups. In addition, patients can seek help from foundations and other non-profit organizations for free, the specialist concluded.
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