Updated 2026/11/03 10:30Photo: Clipart KoreaPatients who experienced mental illness after being diagnosed with cancer were found to face a higher risk of dying from cancer, according to a study. The findings highlight the need for continued mental health management even after cancer treatment ends.A research team from Stanford University School of Medicine in the US analyzed the relationship between the timing of mental illness onset and cancer mortality over five years among 22,281 cancer patients registered with UK Biobank. The study found that the risk of dying from cancer varied depending on when the mental illness developed. Patients who had mental illness before their cancer diagnosis faced a 19% higher risk of cancer death than those without mental illness. The risk was 38% higher among patients who developed mental illness within one year after their cancer diagnosis and 119% higher among those diagnosed with mental illness between two and five years after diagnosis. These associations were consistently observed across major cancer types, including breast, prostate, lung and lymphoma. A similar level of association was also found among colorectal cancer patients during the first year after diagnosis.More than one-third of long-term cancer survivors experience clinically significant distress, according to University College London in the UK. However, amid the focus on cancer treatment, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety disorders often receive relatively little attention or do not lead to appropriate treatment. Although the specific reasons why mental illness increases the risk of cancer death were not identified in the study, the research team explained that multiple behavioral and biological factors are likely to interact between mental health problems and the cancer treatment process.The research team said, “In managing cancer survivors, regular screening and long-term support for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are needed, in addition to imaging tests and surveillance for recurrence.”Meanwhile, cancer patients need an integrated approach that cares for both the body and mind. Using a cancer survivorship clinic or an integrated supportive care center at a hospital is one option. A diet centered on vegetables and whole grains, regular physical activity, limiting red and processed meat, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption are fundamental. The study was recently published in the international academic journal Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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