A recent study has revealed that adult cancer patients who are later diagnosed with a new mental disorder face a significantly higher risk of death.
The research, published in the medical journal Cancer, states that researchers collected data from 371,897 adult patients who were treated at hospitals affiliated with the University of California between 2013 and 2023.
None of these patients had any record of a mental disorder before being diagnosed with cancer.
Researchers affiliated with UCSF found that within one year of a cancer diagnosis, 10.6 percent of patients developed a new mental health disorder (MHD), and 35 percent of these patients were prescribed one or more psychiatric medications.
The analysis showed that adult cancer patients who were diagnosed with a new mental disorder during the first 12 to 35 months after their cancer diagnosis had a higher risk of death. However, this risk decreased during the period from 36 to 59 months and gradually declined further during the 60 to 120 month period.
According to the researchers, in recent years there has been a better understanding of the important relationship between cancer, its treatment, and mental health.
The researchers said that this study confirms their previous research by utilizing the shared experiences within the University of California system and further strengthens the link between mental health issues and mortality among cancer patients, while also highlighting the need to prioritize mental health and manage it effectively.
