Psychological distress in newly diagnosed patients with gastrointestinal cancer: A scoping review

Abstract

Objective

A cancer diagnosis often triggers significant emotional and psychological challenges, underscoring the importance of addressing psychological distress. While psychological distress in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer has been widely studied, less attention has been focused on those who are newly diagnosed. This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on psychological distress in newly diagnosed patients with GI cancer.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted following the framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley. The last search was carried out on September 23, 2024, across PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and PsychINFO for literature published between January 2013 and September 2024. The search terms included "newly diagnosed," "distress," "patients," and "gastrointestinal cancer." A meta-analysis was conducted using the R package to synthesize the prevalence of psychological distress across studies, with a random-effects model applied to account for heterogeneity.

Results

Fifteen studies were included in the analysis, revealing an average prevalence of psychological distress of 28.1% (99% CI: 181.84, 433.39). Psychological distress was most prevalent during the diagnostic phase and gradually decreased over time. Factors such as older age, advanced cancer stage, poor performance status, and a lack of social support contributed to increased psychological distress. Additionally, only 20% of the studies were intervention-based.

Conclusions

Approximately one-third of newly diagnosed patients with GI cancer may experience psychological distress. Early identification and intervention to address this distress before treatment initiation are crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Systematic review registration

osf.io/n2796.