Psycho-Oncology: A Review for the General Psychiatrist

This article provides an overview of psycho-oncology, including epidemiology of common psychiatric conditions in cancer, effects of cancer and chemotherapy on the brain, and effects of coping styles and other psychosocial factors on cancer treatment. It describes the assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment of adjustment disorders, anxiety, depression, delirium, chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction, character disorders, substance disorders, and major mental illness in oncology patients. Survivorship and bereavement are addressed, as are future directions for this growing field.