This #ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth, we’re sharing insights from recent studies from researchers across Canada. Today, we’re sharing findings from Gabriela Ilie, PhD, associate professor at Dalhousie University and DMRF Endowed Scientist in Cancer Quality of Life Research!
In 2019, Dr. Gabriela Ilie, Dr. Rob Rutledge and Dr. Ellen Sweeney examined the association between depression and anxiety and prostate cancer. From 6,585 Atlantic PATH participants, they found that prostate cancer survivors had greater odds of screening positive for anxiety or depression compared to those with a history of other forms of cancer. The findings highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary effort to prioritize and deliver comprehensive mental health support to PCa survivors: https://bit.ly/3Dqe6oH
Come 2021, they continued their work in the area of depression, anxiety and prostate cancer, further finding that the association is moderated by household income: https://bit.ly/3B9D0X3
They most recently found that prostate cancer survivors who were treated with surgery had 7.55 statistically significantly higher odds of screening positive for current depression compared to those who had surgery for other types of cancer: https://bit.ly/3S4EQPT
“This pivotal research made possible by Atlantic PATH and its collaborators highlights the epidemic of mental distress among prostate cancer survivors throughout Atlantic Canada, now corroborated worldwide. This research became the impetus for development of the PC-PEP program (https://pcpep.org/) which is now helping survivors throughout Canada and beyond,” says Dr. Ilie.
