Pandemic-caused treatment delays for cancer may aggravate psychological distress

Cancer patients who experience treatment delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions may be vulnerable to psychological distress, reports a recent China study. Effective communication from doctors and other cancer care professionals may help mitigate this effect.

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 835 cancer patients who had treatment delays between 26 February and 12 March 2020, when travel restrictions were imposed. The outcomes were patients’ post-traumatic stress responses and general psychological distress (GPD), as assessed by the Chinese version of the Impact of Events Scale‐Revised and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).

Control groups of 185 healthy volunteers and of 168 cancer patients who had been treated before the pandemic were also included.

Results showed that treatment delays significantly aggravated GPD (odds ratio [OR], 1.716, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.254–2.348; p=0.001) and symptoms post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; OR, 1.545, 95 percent CI, 1.166–2.047; p=0.002).

In contrast, patients who felt that their doctors maintained good communication with them were significantly less likely to have GPD (OR, 0.526, 95 percent CI, 0.348–0.794; p=0.002) and PTSD (OR, 0.683, 95 percent CI, 0.490–0.951; p=0.024).

Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that treatment delays, as well as having unsatisfactory communication with their care professionals, significantly increased the risk of severe GPD and PTSD symptoms in all patients.

“Treatment delays are common during the COVID‐19 pandemic and can cause psychological distress,” the researchers said. “Effective communication with doctors and cancer‐care professionals can significantly reduce GPD and PTSD symptoms.”

“Therefore, public health professionals, cancer‐care professionals, psychiatrists and psychologists should implement measures to alleviate psychological distress in cancer patients during pandemics,” they added.