-- Getting
regular scans and imaging tests is a normal – and often frequent –
occurrence for people living with lung cancer. However, the normalcy
does not necessarily mitigate the anxiety surrounding the experience,
according to Lung Cancer In America 2018, a national survey by
Health Union, LLC of people impacted by the condition, including patients and caregivers.
Living with lung
cancer is accompanied by a considerable level of anxiety, with 86
percent of respondents reporting at least a little bit of anxiety on any
given day. However, what is often referred to as "scanxiety" – the
anxiety, fear and worry associated with scans, specifically before the
results are revealed – can exacerbate those feelings. Of those who
experience scanxiety, three-quarters reported either "more" or "a lot
more" anxiety around the time of scans than at other times.
The frequency of follow-up scans can also cause
the scanxiety opportunities to pile up, with almost three-quarters of
respondents getting scans either every three to four months or more
frequently. Making matters worse, 57 percent said they need to wait two
or more days to receive the results of their scans.
According to the American Cancer Society, lung
cancer is the second most common cancer for both men and women in the
U.S., as well as the nation's leading cause of death from cancer. Grim
statistics surrounding lung cancer have the potential to increase worry
and scanxiety.
Additionally, many patients are diagnosed at
later stages due to symptoms often being mistaken for other conditions.
For example, according to Lung Cancer In America 2018 survey
respondents, 58 percent of patients with non-small cell lung cancer were
diagnosed at stage III or IV.
For full article click
here.
Comments
Post a Comment