Mental health of long-term survivors of childhood and young adult cancer: A systematic review - Friend 201
The incidence of childhood cancer is rising while survival rates are improving. Consequently, the prevalence of adult survivors of childhood cancer is increasing. Numerous cancer survivors experience long-term side effects from their treatment. Despite the fact that many of these are well documented, relatively little is known about the mental health of childhood cancer survivors. Using a systematic review methodology, this article aimed to describe the prevalence and spectrum of mental health problems found in adult survivors of childhood cancer. Our review comprised 67 articles that described a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, behavioral issues, and drug abuse. Treatment with high-dose anthracyclines, cranial irradiation, diagnoses of sarcoma or central nervous system tumours, and ongoing physical illness increased the likelihood of mental health issues. Numerous limitations were present in the studies we discovered, including the use of survivors' siblings as a control group, self-report methodology, and the absence of prescription indications when prescribing data were used. This review has identified a number of mental health issues experienced by childhood cancer survivors; however, the incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for their development remain unknown. Identifying childhood cancer patients at risk of developing mental health morbidity in adulthood requires additional research.
Friend AJ, Feltbower RG, Hughes EJ, Dye KP, Glaser AW. Mental health of long-term survivors of childhood and young adult cancer: A systematic review. Int J Cancer. 2018 Sep 15;143(6):1279-1286. doi: 10.1002/ijc.31337. Epub 2018 Mar 15. PMID: 29468674.
