If another reason is needed for men to seek treatment when suffering from anxiety, a large European study has come up with one: Men who suffer from anxiety are more than twice as likely to die from cancer as men who don’t.
To arrive at their conclusion, the researchers started with data from a study conducted from 1996 to 2000. One of the health issues tracked in that study was generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Using death records, researchers then determined how many of the 16,000 participants died from cancer over the next 15 years. From this analysis, they found that GAD was a significant risk factor for death from cancer in men. Strikingly, their results showed no association between GAD and cancer death in women.
Dr. Georgia Daniela Shapiro, a Vero Beach oncologist, is familiar with the study. She believes the study has value, even though a relatively small number (126) of male participants were diagnosed with GAD, saying, “The negative impact that uncontrolled mental health disorders has on individuals being treated for cancer has been clearly shown in the literature. This study reviews the potential association of the two, and raises awareness of the impact that GAD can have.”
Speaking of the association of GAD and cancer deaths, lead researcher Olivia Remes says “we can’t say that one causes the other; it is possible that men with anxiety have lifestyles or other risk factors that increase cancer risk that we did not account for completely. However, this association does raise questions, and society may need to consider anxiety as a warning signal for poor health.”
“I believe that increased stress and anxiety, regardless of gender, could potentially serve as a catalyst for many severe conditions, including cancer,” says Shapiro. In other words, untreated GAD may, in fact, put both men and women at a higher risk for cancer and other serious illnesses.
The study results were recently presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) conference in Vienna. Professor David Nutt, a psychiatrist and ex-president of the ECNP, says “the intense distress that these people suffer often on a daily basis is usually associated with a great deal of bodily stress, and that is bound to have a major impact on many physiological processes including immune supervision of cancerous cells.”
People with GAD experience persistent, excessive and unrealistic worry about everyday things. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that GAD is diagnosed when a person finds it difficult to control worry more days than not for at least six months, and has three or more related symptoms, which include:
Restlessness or feeling on edge
Being easily fatigued
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep)
GAD symptoms occur on a spectrum from mild to severe. In mild GAD, the sufferer can function socially and at work. People with a severe form of the disorder can have difficulty carrying out the simplest daily activities.
In any given year, GAD affects nearly 7 million adults, more than 3 percent of the U.S. population; it is twice as likely to occur in women than in men. The exact cause of GAD is unknown, although there is some evidence that biological factors, family background and stressful life experiences can play a role. It most often comes on gradually between childhood and middle age.
Treatments for GAD are typically psychotherapy and medications, with a combination of the two often providing the most benefit. The type of psychotherapy often used is called cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on teaching specific skills to allow for the gradual return to activities that have been avoided because of anxiety. Medications include anti-depressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs); an anti-anxiety medication called buspirone (trade name Buspar) may also be prescribed.
Shapiro says that openly addressing, and consistently assessing, the presence of GAD symptoms is an important part of any doctor visit. She adds, “It is important for anyone – regardless of gender – to seek help if they are suffering with symptoms associated with GAD or any mental health condition. If they are experiencing these symptoms, and under the care of any healthcare provider, I would encourage them to feel empowered to discuss their symptoms with them.”
Dr. Shapiro practices as part of Scott, Weeks & McGarry, located at 1460 36th St in Vero Beach; the office number is 772-562-7777.
