Retrospective study of mental disorders among adolescents and young adults with cancer in Canada

A retrospective study in Canada compared the cumulative incidence of mental disorders among adolescents and young adults (AYAs; age 15-39 years) diagnosed with cancer between 1989 and 2019 versus the incidence in the general population and their unaffected siblings. Outcomes included incidence of mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, suicides, psychotic disorders. Among 3,818 AYAs with cancer matched to the population-based cancer-free cohort, individuals with cancer were more likely to be diagnosed with incident mental disorders than those without cancer; the risk was highest immediately after a cancer diagnosis and decreased over time. In sibling comparison, cancer diagnosis was associated with a higher incidence of mood and anxiety and any mental disorder during the first 6 months after cancer diagnosis. The authors conclude that AYAs with cancer experience a greater incidence of mental disorders after cancer diagnosis relative to population-based and sibling cohorts without cancer, primarily within the first two years after diagnosis, underscoring the need to address mental health concerns during this period.