Exploring Cancer Outcomes of People With and Without Pre-existing Anxiety and/or Depression Following Symptomatic Presentation to Healthcare: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to collate the literature on cancer outcomes and highlight where any disparities occur for people with anxiety and/or depression, enabling exploration of the reasons behind those factors. Introduction: Around 375,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer annually. Individuals with mental health disorders have a 30% higher case fatality rate from cancer compared to individuals without. Each year, 5-7% of urgent suspected-cancer hospital appointments are missed, with anxiety and depression possible causes, and survival is worse following emergency diagnoses. Inclusion criteria: Studies that report differences/disparities in cancer diagnostic processes/outcomes between people with/without pre-existing anxiety and/or depression will be included. Methods: The databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL will be searched for articles between 2015 and 2024. Additional articles will be sourced using forward and backward citations. Two researchers will screen the articles for eligibility against the inclusion criteria. Qualifying articles will be quality appraised. The search results will be presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR). The final articles will be presented in a narrative synthesis supplemented with thematic analysis if appropriate.