Psychological Impact of Lung Cancer on the Newly Diagnosed Patients

The diagnosis and progression of cancer can be viewed as a traumatic event in the experiences of those who are affected and may cause fear of suffering, helplessness, disability and isolation. A substantial proportion of those who suffer from advanced lung cancer express distress in the form of depression and hopelessness and a few number with loss of will to live or desire for hastened death. However, this could in turn affect their quality of life. In addition, the later may arise with inadequate relief of pain or other physical symptoms such as depression, hopelessness, social isolation or reluctance to depend on others for support Systematic review of both qualitative published research articles comprising of cross-sectional, prospective, longitudinal and observational studies. Ten studies investigated the psychological distresses experienced by lung cancer patients, while another ten studies examined the impact of psychological distress experienced by lung cancer patients on their quality of life. In all, a total of twenty research articles were reviewed. Findings indicate that lung cancer diagnosis causes psychological distresses such as anxiety and depression, hopelessness, feeling of guilt/ desire for hastened death which including other factors such as old age and lack of social support can lead to poor quality of life among lung cancer patients. Anxiety, depression and hopelessness were independent predictors of the desire for hastened death which mediated the effects of psychosocial and disease related variables on this outcome. The risk factor identified, support a holistic approach to palliative care in patients with lung cancer, which inclines to psychological, physical and spiritual factors to prevent and manage distress in patients with terminal illness