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Shining a light on the psychological burden of cancer

Nature Medicine volume 28, pages 637–638 (2022)Cite this article

Two studies incorporating data from millions of patients highlight the need for consistent screening and access to supportive care.

A cancer diagnosis and its treatment have long been associated with heightened emotional distress, impairments in quality of life and reduced engagement in health-promoting behavior. Given this heavy burden on patients, two comprehensive studies in this issue of Nature Medicine sought to explore the factors associated with psychiatric disorders and suicidal attempts among a large sample of patients with cancer1,2. These studies make an important contribution to the existing literature base, confirming previous findings and bringing to light new information and insight.

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Fig. 1: Appropriate access to supportive care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Câncer de Brasilia, Instituto Unity de Ensino e Pesquisa, Brasilia, Brazil

    Cristiane Decat Bergerot

  2. Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    Sumanta K. Pal

Authors
  1. Cristiane Decat Bergerot
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  2. Sumanta K. Pal
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Correspondence to Sumanta K. Pal.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Bergerot, C.D., Pal, S.K. Shining a light on the psychological burden of cancer. Nat Med 28, 637–638 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01763-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01763-w

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