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1 in 4 cancer patients suffer from anxiety or depression


A study directed by the Catalan Institute of Oncology reached the conclusion that 24% of cancer patients suffer from anxiety or depression.
It is the first study that determines the prevalence of mental disturbance in a wide sample of cancer patients in Spain.
This research, published in the magazine Medicina Clínica, reveals the need to identify and treat cancer patients with anxiety or depression symptoms.  


The Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) has elaborated the first study done in Spain to a wide sample of patients to determine the prevalence of mental disturbance among them. Specialists from the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, the University Hospital Sant Joan de Reus have cooperated in this study.

The results tell us that 24% of cancer patients present mental disturbance symptoms. The majority present an adaptation disturbance which features anxiety or depresión symptoms or both. The study concludes that the presence of these disturbances is higher among patients who have been treated with radiation therapy, are under drug treatment or are in pain. To do the study, 400 oncology patients who received ambulatory treatment at ICO in Hospitalet were interviewed. These patients filled in a questionnaire, the Anxiety Scale and Hospital Depression. Those who, according to the test, required a revision by a mental health department, due to their answers and possible treatment, underwent other checkings. This way we discovered that 97 cancer patients suffered from mental disturbance. Nowadays, the study has been widened to 700 patients but the proportion is the same: one in 4 cancer patients suffer from anxiety or depression.
The study show the high prevalence of mental disturbance in oncology patients and the need to monitor these patients more closely in order to discover the anxiety and depression symptoms soon and be able to treat them efficiently.

Psychologic approach at ICO

ICO is a pioneer centre as far as psychological assistance to cancer patients is concerned. The centre in Hospitalet has had a Psycho-oncology Unit since September 1998, which was the first unit of Psycho-oncology Service in Catalonia. Presently, 3 psycho-oncologists and a link-psychiatrist work there.

ICO’s centres in Girona and Badalona also count on a psycho-oncologist each. Altogether, ICO has seen more than 3,000 patients in 9 years.

The mission of the Services of Psycho-oncology is to assist cancer patients, both the admitted  ones and those who receive ambulatory treatment, and their relatives, during all the process of  the illness. We also assist people who have been told that they have inherited a higher risk  to suffer from cancer. Psycho-therapy is carried out individually and in groups and we work in an  inter-disciplinary way, participating in the clinic sessions together with the medical service.