Ovarian cancer survivors at risk for mental health problems

Ovarian cancer survivors were more likely to experience mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorder, within the first 2 years after their cancer diagnosis compared with those without ovarian cancer, according to a study presented at AACR 2021.

Using data from the Utah Cancer Registry between 1996 and 2012, the researchers identified 1,689 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and matched them with 7,038 women without ovarian cancer. Electronic health records were used to identify the incidence of mental illness. [AACR 2021, abstract 900]

Overall, ovarian cancer survivors had a higher risk of mental illness in the first 2 years after diagnosis compared with those without ovarian cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 3.48).

In particular, higher risks of depression and anxiety were observed among ovarian cancer survivors within 0–2 years (HRs, 3.11 and 3.54, respectively) and 2–5 years (HRs, 1.67 and 1.86, respectively) after diagnosis compared with those who did not have ovarian cancer.

This risk of adjustment disorder was also higher among ovarian cancer survivors at 0–2 and 2–5 years post diagnosis (HR, 3.96 for both time periods) than those without ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer survivors diagnosed with a mental illness also had an increased risk of mortality (HR, 1.80).

In a subgroup of ovarian cancer survivors with data on specific histological subtype, those with a mucinous histology demonstrated a 47 percent lower risk of any mental illness, and specifically, a 67 percent reduction in the risk of depression, than those with a high-grade serous histology.

“We wanted to examine mental health in ovarian cancer patients, who often face a poor prognosis,” said lead author Dr Siqi Hu from the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, US.

This study showed that the risk of mental illness among ovarian cancer survivors was “far higher and persisted over a longer time period than we expected,” she said.

“Mental health issues are important for cancer patients as they face major disruptions to their lives and deal with the toxic side effects of cancer treatment, … increased support may contribute to prolonging the lives of ovarian cancer survivors,” she added.

She also stressed the importance of mental health screening among patients with ovarian cancer. “It is important to be aware that mental health may change over the course of [cancer] diagnosis and treatment. Cancer patients may need regular mental health consultations to identify issues such as depression and anxiety,” she said.