The risk of developing mental health issues may be higher among patients who have rare cancers compared with those who have common cancers, according to a recent study published by Low et al in eClinicalMedicine.
Background
Rare cancers—those affecting fewer than 6 out of 100,000 individuals per year—often pose unique diagnosis, treatment, and research challenges. Because there is a low incidence of each type of rare cancer, there is often a lack of awareness among the public and medical professionals of these diseases, leading to delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options. Physicians may also be less attuned to the psychological challenges faced by these patients. In addition, patients with rare cancers may experience isolation as a result of the lack of support and resources tailored to their specific condition, which can negatively impact their mental health.
Although there have been numerous studies exploring psychological outcomes in patients with common cancers, there have been few studies systematically assessing the psychological impact of rare cancers compared with common cancers.
“The prevalence of poor mental health in patients with rare cancers highlights the need for early identification and intervention. Increased awareness among health-care professionals is crucial to help identify patients with psychological concerns and monitor patients’ mental well-being during the course of their treatment. While each individual diagnosis might be rare, as a whole, rare cancers actually account for 25% of all cancers. This, coupled with the rising burden of rare cancers globally, highlights the critical need for more support for this group of patients,” emphasized senior study author Valerie Yang, MB BChir, PhD, MRCP, FAMS, Assistant Professor and a consultant medical oncologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore as well as Leader of the Translational Precision Oncology Laboratory, Group Leader, and a joint research clinician at the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology.
Study Methods and Results
In the recent systematic review and meta-analysis, investigators examined the psychological outcomes of over 57,470 patients with rare cancers.
The investigators discovered that compared with those who had common cancers, the patients who had rare cancers were nearly three times more likely to develop anxiety and depression and have a higher incidence of suicide and posttraumatic stress disorder. The patients with rare cancers also has a higher incidence of suicide (over 300 per 100,000 individuals) and posttraumatic stress disorder (18%).
Notably, the investigators identified specific risk factors among patients with rare cancers who may have a higher likelihood of developing negative psychological outcomes—including having advanced disease, chemotherapy treatment, and lower income and social status.
Conclusions
The investigators established a translational research program to determine more effective strategies to treat patients with rare cancers. Despite the current lack of treatment options, novel approaches in translational research and personalized medicine are gradually improving outcomes among patients with rare cancers, offering potentially more effective treatments and a better quality of life.
The investigators are currently developing methods such as early identification of patients for referral to medical social workers that may increase the support for these patients. If proven successful, the methods could be applied to manage the psychological needs of all vulnerable patient populations.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit thelancet.com.
