Mental healthcare service use common in patients with bladder cancer

Mental healthcare service (MHS) use among patients with bladder cancer is most common in the 3-months before to the 3-months after treatment, according to a study.

MHS use, including visits to general practitioner, psychiatrist, emergency department or hospitalization, among patients with bladder cancer treated with curative-intent cystectomy (n = 3332) or radiotherapy (n = 964) was identified and analyzed based on Baseline, peri-treatment, and post-treatment use. MHS use was highest in the peri-treatment (3-months before to 3-months after) and post-treatment (3-months after to 2-years after start of treatment) periods, compared to baseline (2-years to 3-months before) rates.

By 2-years post-treatment, 24.6% of patients had MHS use, with patients who had baseline MHS use having substantially higher MHS use in the peri-treatment and post-treatment periods. Overall, women had higher MHS use, but men had a higher incremental increase post-treatment compared to baseline. Men had a statistically significant increase in MHS use after surgery or radiotherapy. Women had an increase in MHS use after surgery.

Reference
Raphael MJ, Griffiths R, Peng Y, et al. Mental health resource use among patients undergoing curative intent treatment for bladder cancer. JNCI. 2021;djab026, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djab026