He may also be humiliated by his having the disease or may be avoided by others who do not know how to approach the patient or are discomfited by doing so, particularly since cancer indicates mortality and mortality is one aspect of life's facts that individuals generally like to avoid. Other feelings of inferiority and shame are caused by loss of autonomy and independence, vulnerability, and mutilation and most frightening of all is the fear of death. Clinical depression can easily become an outcome.

Some may also experience psychiatric disorder as a result, with the Psychological Collaborative Oncology Group finding that 47% of patients who had been diagnosed with cancer fell into psychiatric disorder with two thirds having depressed or anxious moods whilst one third experienced major depression, delirium, anxiety disorder, or some other major mental illness (Sandoval-Cros, 1999)

Methods to lessen physical and psychological effects.

The three most common types of effects causing physical and psychological consequences are anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and delirium. Methods used for reduction of their symptoms can be spread to other negative areas too.

Drugs can be used for anxiety. These include benzodiazepines such as lorzepam or clonazapem. Busiprone can be helpful too and severe anxiety can be treated with other, more intensive drugs. Progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, biofeedback, and hypnosis are also effective.

Treatment for depression consists of a mixture of psychotherapy (family, group (e.g. support groups), or individual) and pharmacotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is particularly helpful for depression where the individual is pointed to a sense of self-efficacy helping him regain his sense of independence and esteem as well as cognitively review his situation in more...

The therapist also helps the patient (and family) integrate the illness in their lives in order to better cope with it. Social support and other resources are dug up and worked on.
Antidepressants may be offered too which consist of serotenergic agents and psychostimulants. All drugs may have side effects such as insomnia and apathy.

Symptomatic treatment for delirium consists of using neuroleptic agents (e.g. haloperidol) that serve to control agitation and hallucinations and antianxiety agents (e.g. lorazapem) that serve to reduce anxiety (Sandoval-Cros, 1999).

Side effects of treatment

Other side effects of cancer treatment may include permanent change or damage to organs of body, including heart, lugs, nerves, and kidneys, from chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may also introduce a second cancer that may emerge much later.

Common effects of chemotherapy include: nausea and vomiting; fatigue; hair loss; pain; anemia; infection; blood clotting problems; mouth, gum, and throat problems; diarrhea and constipation; nerve and muscle effects; effects on skin and nails; radiation recall; kidney and bladder effects; flue-like symptoms; fluid retention, and effects on sexual organs and sexuality (MedicineNet.com). No wonder, many cancer patients become depressed.