Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of psychological outcomes in patients with rare cancers
Rare cancers (incidence less than 6 per 100,000 per year) cumulatively account for up to 25% of all cancers. On average, the five-year relative survival for patients with rare cancers is worse than that for patients with more common cancers. A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies (2000- 30th January 2024) investigated psychological outcomes in patients with rare cancers. Among these patients, prevalence of depression was 17%, whereas prevalence of anxiety was 20% and prevalence of PTSD was 18%. Incidence of suicide was 315 per 100,000 person-years. Compared to patients with more common cancer types, suicide incidence and PTSD prevalence were significantly higher in patients with rare cancers. Systematic review found that having advanced disease, chemotherapy, and lower income were risk factors for negative psychological outcomes.