Dr Maria Madeline Baylon-Mallillin, psychiatrist and founder of the Psycho-oncology and Supportive Palliative Care Group of the Philippines, noted that fear of recurrence can be severe enough to require treatment. “Patients might have panic attacks before a scan,” she said during the vodcast. “They may have nightmares, feel paralysed or develop depression and stop treatment altogether.”
Some become hyper-vigilant about their health and may undergo repeated consultations or tests to ease their anxiety. Others cope through avoidance, denial, distraction or self-blame.
Associate Professor Ben Smith, Cancer Institute New South Wales fellow and senior implementation scientist at the Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney, who was a guest on the vodcast, said in an email interview that “avoidance can lead to missing important milestones, avoiding future planning and even skipping follow-up appointments or screenings – which are vital for detecting recurrence”. Such behaviour, he added, “increases isolation and can compromise health and quality of life”.
The literature review also indicated unmet needs throughout the region. In a qualitative study from Australia, all survivors surveyed reported social stigma, and 45 per cent lacked updated information on treatment, side effects or recurrence risk. In Taiwan, a study found that 22 per cent of survivors experienced poor physician communication that left them feeling abandoned.
Source: CNA
