Feeling Upset Is A Normal Response

How Cancer Research UK updated their information on Mental Health and Cancer

Over the last 70 years, research has indicated that a cancer diagnosis has significant consequences for
patients and their families regarding psychiatric and psychosocial morbidity. Studies in Northern and
Southern Europe show that up to 40% of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. It is
estimated that these figures are even higher in patients with advanced-stage disease or palliative care.
(Caruso and Breitbart 2020)

The literature also indicates that people who have previously used psychiatric services may be particularly
vulnerable and at greater risk of mortality following a cancer diagnosis. This was demonstrated in a Canadian
study that looked at people with severe psychiatric illness and who had colorectal cancer. The researchers
found that this group is less likely to survive their cancer in some situations. This is compared to people with
no history of mental health problems. This was because they did not always receive treatment according to
the treatment guidelines for their cancer or couldn’t advocate for themselves because of their mental health
problem. (Caruso and Breitbart 2020)

Although we already had a section on our website about coping emotionally with cancer, we wanted to update
this to ensure that it reflected lived experience to meet people’s needs better.

To help with this, we did a literature search and, together with our patient involvement team, held focus groups
with cancer patients and carers to learn more about what people needed. We also consulted a leading mental
health charity for their advice and suggestions.

The focus groups produced rich and moving material. The key outcomes were:
• there should be more awareness about the impact of a cancer diagnosis on mental health at any
stage of cancer treatment
• healthcare professionals don’t always ask enough about mental health
• there should be better signposting as to what to do when you’re struggling with mental health
• there should be more awareness about the impact of a parent or guardian’s cancer diagnosis on
children and young people

We have made various changes to the information as a result of this feedback, including changing the
section’s name from Coping emotionally to Mental Health and Cancer. We have improved the navigation and
made the information easier to find. We developed a quick guide for newly diagnosed people to give them
top-level information on how a cancer diagnosis can affect mental health and what options are available.

We also improved signposting to support organisations, including adding a lot of new mental health
organisations covering all four UK nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

And we moved our Talking to Children About Cancer page to the main Mental health and cancer navigation
page.

As a result of these changes, we have received a lot of positive feedback and significant increases in both
traffic to the pages and engagement with them.

You can view the section here https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/mental-health-cancer

Cancer Research UK
Hermanus Louw
hermanus.louw2@cancer.org.uk