review · BMC Psychiatry
This umbrella review systematically assessed the global prevalence and determinant factors of pain, depression, and anxiety among cancer patients by analysing existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The research involved a thorough search of multiple databases for studies published in English up to July 2024. It found that the global prevalence of depression among cancer survivors was 33.16%, and anxiety was 30.55%. Pain prevalence after treatment was 39.77%, while before treatment it was 65.22%, persisting in 51.34% during treatment. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, these rates surged to 43.25% for depression and 52.93% for anxiety. Key factors contributing to depression included poor social support, advanced cancer stage, and inadequate sleep, with advanced cancer stage and poor sleep quality also linked to anxiety.
This research highlights the significant burden of mental health issues and pain experienced by cancer patients globally, with rates escalating during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding these high prevalences and their contributing factors is vital for healthcare providers to develop targeted interventions, improve patient support, and ultimately enhance the quality of life for individuals undergoing cancer treatment and survivorship.
The identification of specific determinants for depression and anxiety, such as social support, cancer stage, and sleep quality, provides valuable insights for developing targeted interventions. This could inform the creation of specialised support programmes, digital health tools for monitoring and managing symptoms, or screening protocols for healthcare providers to identify at-risk cancer patients. This is early-stage research that can guide the design of future clinical and support services.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
INTRODUCTION: Depression and anxiety are prevalent psychological disorders that significantly affect physical, emotional, and social well-being, reducing quality of life and increasing medical costs. These issues are especially challenging for cancer survivors, complicating treatment management, affecting adherence, and potentially impacting survival rates. Thus, this umbrella review aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of pain, depression, and anxiety, as well as their determinants among cancer patients. METHOD: An exhaustive umbrella review was conducted to systematically assess the prevalence and determinants of pain, depression, and anxiety among cancer survivors worldwide by analyzing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The review involved a thorough search of multiple databases and included studies published in English up to July 2024 that reported on these symptoms. The process involved screening and selecting studies based on specific criteria, assessing the risk of bias using the AMSTAR tool, and analyzing data with statistical methods to determine overall prevalence and identify predictors. This comprehensive approach aimed to provide a detailed understanding of these psychological issues in cancer survivors and guide future research and interventions. RESULT: The global summary prevalence of depression among cancer survivors was 33.16% (95% CI 27.59-38.74), while anxiety had a prevalence of 30.55% (95% CI 24.04-37.06). Pain prevalence after treatment was 39.77% (95% CI 31.84-47.70). Before treatment, 65.22% (95% CI 62.86-67.57) of cancer patients reported pain, which persisted in 51.34% (95% CI 40.01-62.67) during treatment. The analysis also found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, depression and anxiety rates among cancer patients were at their highest, with prevalences of 43.25% (95% CI 41.25-45.26) and 52.93% (95% CI 50.91-54.96), respectively. CONCLUSION: The umbrella review found that depression and anxiety prevalence among cancer survivors was 33.16% and 30.55%, respectively, with significantly higher rates during COVID-19 at 43.25% and 52.93%. Key factors contributing to depression included poor social support, advanced cancer stage, and inadequate sleep, while anxiety was significantly linked to advanced cancer stage and poor sleep quality. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-06599-5
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
