More Americans Than Ever Are Surviving Cancer, But Iowa’s Cancer Rates Are Increasing

Iowa is one of the few states where cancer rates are increasing, despite the fact that more Americans than ever are surviving cancer. As scientists continue to study why cancer rates are rising in Iowa, a growing number of survivors there are in need of mental health care after treatment ends.

A Personal Story of Cancer and Mental Health

Morgan Newman was busy building her life when she received an abnormal result on her Pap smear in 2015. At just 24 years old, Newman had cervical cancer, which came as a shock to her. After undergoing six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy, Newman’s scans were initially clear, but three months later, doctors found suspicious nodules in her lungs. She had more chemo, which wore her down physically and mentally as she watched her friends hit significant milestones.

‘My friends were getting married. They were having children, you know, progressing in their lives and their careers. And I just felt stuck,’ Newman said. Studies show that cancer survivors are more likely to experience anxiety and depression that can last years after they finish treatment. However, one survey found that only 1 in 5 had seen a mental health professional. Newman had been seeing a therapist, but after she got sick, she quit going due to the expense and lack of time.

The Need for Mental Health Care in Cancer Treatment

Dr. Patricia Ganz, an oncologist and UCLA professor who studies cancer survivorship, emphasizes that mental health care should be a routine part of cancer treatment. ‘We know how to give pills. We know how to give pain medicines, sleep medicines, but we’re not real schooled in the antidepressants,’ Ganz said. Given the shortage of resources, oncologists themselves need to step up and provide mental health care to their patients.

‘Physically, people’s bodies have changed, and they are reconciling loss and grief. And those experiences are a little bit more silent, a little more invisible, and friends and family don’t often fully understand or grasp that,’ said Julie Larson, a therapist in Des Moines who works with lots of cancer survivors. Larson notes that finding therapists who know cancer can be a challenge, especially in Iowa, where the state is largely rural and has a shortage of mental health professionals.

Cancer Centers Are Trying to Do More

In Iowa, some cancer centers are trying to do more to provide mental health care to their patients. The MercyOne hospital in Des Moines has started offering services like counseling, music therapy, and mindfulness to cancer patients, even after they finish treatment. Dr. Richard Deming, who runs the clinic, emphasizes the importance of asking patients about their mental health during treatment. ‘Every step along the way, whether it’s through diagnosis or treatment or follow-up, we have to ask, what are the issues you’re experiencing? Not just do you have cancer? Did we get rid of the cancer?’ Deming said.

Deming notes that during treatment, patients spend a lot of time with doctors and get asked a lot about their physical health. However, once the clinical whirlwind ends, cancer survivors can suddenly feel abandoned and alone. ‘For a while, I was in denial that I was even affected by my cancer,’ Newman said. ‘But the fear of the unknown really takes over and can physically impact your body as well as your mind of what if the cancer’s back?’