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Current Oncology
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Routine Screening for Distress, Depression and Anxiety in Oncology: Where...
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Routine Screening for Distress, Depression and Anxiety in Oncology: Where Are We Now?

A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychosocial Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 880

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniel C. McFarland

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14624, USA
Interests: psycho-oncology; head and neck cancer; cancer care
Dr. Lee A. Kehoe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14624, USA
Interests: psycho-oncology; geriatric oncology; cancer care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Psychological distress, depression and anxiety are prevalent among cancer patients, significantly impacting their quality of life, treatment adherence and overall outcomes. Despite growing recognition of the importance of routine screening for these conditions, implementation remains inconsistent across oncology practices. Barriers such as limited resources, the lack of standardized protocols and insufficient training for healthcare providers often hinder effective screening and intervention.

This Special Issue aims to explore the current state of routine screening for distress, depression and anxiety in oncology settings. We welcome original research articles and reviews that address the development, validation and implementation of screening tools, as well as strategies to overcome barriers to adoption. Contributions may also focus on the integration of psychological screening into multidisciplinary cancer care, the impact of screening on patient outcomes and the role of emerging technologies, such as digital health solutions, in enhancing screening practices.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Daniel C. McFarland
Dr. Lee A. Kehoe
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Oncology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • psychological distress
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • oncology
  • routine screening
  • cancer care
  • patient outcomes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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15 pages, 575 KB  
Article
Assessment of Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Patients with Colorectal Cancer and Its Association with Pet Ownership: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Enes Erul, Aslı Nur Avcı, Erman Akkus, Ömer Faruk Ayas, Furkan Berk Danısman and Güngör Utkan
Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32(11), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32110592 - 23 Oct 2025
Abstract
Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a frequent and distressing concern among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, often exerting a profound impact on psychological well-being, daily functioning, and treatment adherence. While several clinical and sociodemographic factors have been linked to FCR, the potential role [...] Read more.
Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a frequent and distressing concern among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, often exerting a profound impact on psychological well-being, daily functioning, and treatment adherence. While several clinical and sociodemographic factors have been linked to FCR, the potential role of pet companionship has not been systematically investigated in this population. This cross-sectional study included 167 patients with CRC, assessing FCR with the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory–Short Form (FCRI-SF), psychological distress with the DASS-21, and quality of life with the FACT-G. More than half of the participants (62.3%) met the threshold for high FCR. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that female sex, higher educational attainment, and increased depressive and anxiety symptoms were independently associated with greater odds of high FCR. Conversely, better overall quality of life was linked to lower FCR, with each additional FACT-G point reducing the likelihood of high fear by 5%. Notably, pet ownership emerged as a robust protective factor: pet owners demonstrated approximately one-quarter the odds of high FCR compared with non-owners. Subgroup analyses suggested that this protective effect was particularly evident among women and patients with fewer children, groups potentially more vulnerable to social isolation. These findings highlight pet ownership as a novel factor associated with reduced FCR in CRC patients and suggest potential directions for supportive interventions integrating companion animals into survivorship care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Routine Screening for Distress, Depression and Anxiety in Oncology: Where Are We Now?)
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Other

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23 pages, 457 KB  
Systematic Review
Impact of Depression on Mortality in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review
by Matthieu Hein and Christelle Bouchart
Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32(9), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32090511 - 13 Sep 2025
Viewed by 626
Abstract
The literature provides evidence of the negative impact of depression on mortality among cancer patients. Depression is also a common comorbidity in pancreatic cancer (PC). The objective of this systematic review was to provide a state-of-the-art overview of the potential role of depression [...] Read more.
The literature provides evidence of the negative impact of depression on mortality among cancer patients. Depression is also a common comorbidity in pancreatic cancer (PC). The objective of this systematic review was to provide a state-of-the-art overview of the potential role of depression in the excess mortality observed in patients with PC. Based on PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD420251135451) was conducted in August 2025 using the Pubmed-Medline and Scopus database. After assessment by two readers of the 325 identified articles, 8 articles (n = 143,033) published between 1 January 2010 and 15 August 2025 investigating the specific impact of depression (diagnosed by psychiatric interviews, self-report questionnaires, or diagnostic codes) on mortality in patients with PC (diagnosed by clinical diagnosis or diagnostic codes) were included in this systematic literature review. Articles that were not research studies and were written in a language other than English/French were not included. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. A narrative synthesis of the results was performed for the potential impact of depression on mortality in patients with PC. The reported prevalence of depression in this population ranged from 7.4% to 51.8% (seven studies, n = 142,983), depending on the studies considered. Most of the included studies (seven studies, n = 141,728) consistently reported an increased risk of mortality associated with depression, regardless of cancer stage or treatment received. However, the scientific quality of these studies was generally low, with a significant risk of bias. These results suggest that better integration of depression management in the care of patients with PC could potentially improve clinical outcomes in this high-risk population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Routine Screening for Distress, Depression and Anxiety in Oncology: Where Are We Now?)
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