Anxiety May Lead to Complications After Cancer Stem-Cell Treatment

Cancer patients who experience anxiety or depression and undergo stem-cell treatments for their cancers are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital or face lengthier hospital stays following the procedures.

That’s the upshot of a new report from researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, who compared length of time and complications of patients who were psychological vulnerability and those who were not, following a common type of cancer treatment called “hematopoietic stem-cell transplants.” These are stem cells from which all types of blood cells (including white and red cells) are made.

Researchers examined 395 cancer patients who received blood stem-cell treatment: 140 who had acute leukemia; 134 who had myeloma; 93 who had lymphoma; and 28 who had various other cancers.

Patients who are candidates for blood stem-cell transplants are routinely screened for risk factors such as depression and anxiety before consideration of this type of cancer treatment. This can affect eligibility and the type of support offered to these patients during treatment and follow-up.

In the study, patients were classified according to psychological risk: 52 percent were identified as having no risk; and 48 percent were identified as having varying degrees of risk. Among the 48 percent, 39 percent were categorized as having mild risk, and 9 percent with moderate risk.

What researchers discovered was enlightening. All patients who exhibited any degree of psychological vulnerability were at higher risk for hospital readmission after their stem-cell procedures, and some were at risk of longer hospital stays.

The researchers say this is troubling for several reasons: Readmission after stem-cell treatment has long been associated with poor survival rates, decreased quality of life, and increased costs associated with the treatment.

The need to address psychological vulnerabilities the same way as any other diagnoses is clear. Dr. Ashley Rosko, one of the study’s authors, told Newsmax: “As oncologists, we’re acutely focused on identifying and treating depression and anxiety. And when they are present, as in before this type of treatment, they should be assessed and discussed with the same seriousness as heart function and lung function. They should be given the same attention by caregivers and family members.”

Rosko and her researchers’ findings were presented at the American Society of Hematology’s 58th Annual Meeting Exhibition, on Dec. 5 in San Diego.