Psychological Aspects of Ovarian Cancer and BRCA Testing

This chapter highlights psychosocial issues related to the diagnosis, management, and palliative care of ovarian cancer. The chapter discusses common psychiatric diagnoses of anxiety, depression, and delirium. Furthermore, the chapter reviews the psychiatric impact of genetic testing and the doctor-patient relationship. Cancer disrupts all aspects of life. Each person's concept of cancer, death, and dying varies depending on the person's societal, philosophical, spiritual, and religious beliefs. Ovarian cancer patients often face difficult physical symptoms and psychological problems throughout their clinical course. Approximately one-third of patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent cancer experience psychological distress. The doctor-patient relationship is vital in helping the patient with ovarian cancer and negotiating the challenges to the family. The team of nurses, social workers, mental health professionals, and community resources are crucial in providing the optimal emotional support. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are usually experienced by significant number of patients with cancer, either due to the direct effects of the cancer, treatments given for the cancer, or as a manifestation of the psychological distress experienced in response to diagnosis of cancer. These symptoms should be managed, in consultation with a psychiatrist providing the appropriate pharmacological and psychotherapeutic support.