A major gap in cancer treatment: 5 notes

Studies show at least 30% of cancer patients struggle with depression and other mental health conditions, though they often go undiagnosed.

NBC News explored the prevalence and consequences of this treatment gap in a Nov. 29 report. 

Five highlights from the repot: 

1. Depression, anxiety and other psychiatric conditions are common among cancer patients, but they are often undiagnosed due to mental health historically being deprioritized among healthcare organizations. Hesitancy among oncologists to delve into cancer patients' mental health is another factor at play, experts told the news outlet. 
   
   
2. The direct effects of cancer and treatment side effects, such as uncontrolled pain, changes in one's body or having to quit hobbies, can exacerbate existing mental health conditions or precipitate new diagnoses. Among cancer patients struggling with depression or anxiety, about 10% had depression prior to their diagnosis and 22% were diagnosed after, according to a national study from 2023.
   
   
3. Cancer patients with depression face mortality rates up to 39% higher than those without mental illness. Mental health conditions, particularly when symptoms are undiagnosed and unmanaged, can negatively affect patients' ability to stick with treatment plans and maintain healthy habits associated with improved survival. As such, treating psychiatric disorders can be lifesaving and improve outcomes among cancer patients.
   
   
4. A growing number of cancer centers are homing in on how to integrate mental healthcare into treatment services and address longstanding barriers to psychiatric care. Around 85% of cancer centers offer mental health services, according to a 2018 survey published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has also required accredited centers to screen patients for mental health conditions for nearly a decade. 
   
   
5. Effective integration of mental health and cancer care means easier care coordination for patients. For example, at Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center, cancer patients can be seen by a psychologist while they're getting chemotherapy. This level of integration, however, is mainly found at major medical centers and is not yet standard. 

"Most people receive their care in community cancer settings, where you don't have mental health routinely embedded," Yasmin Asvat, a clinical psychologist at Rush, told NBC.