Long-term survivors of Testicular cancer appear to be at increased risk of Anxiety disorder, a study shows.

Researchers had more than 1,400 testicular cancer survivors complete a questionnaire on anxiety and depression. They found that anxiety was significantly more prevalent in the former cancer patients (19.2 percent) compared with the general population, after adjustment for age (13.5 percent).

However, depression rates (9.7 percent) did not differ from the norm (10.1 percent).

Further analysis showed that anxiety disorder was associated with younger age, nerve damage, and alcohol and sexual problems.

Because of improved prognosis and the increased incidence of Testicular cancer, the number of survivors is increasing, Dr. Alv A. Dahl of the Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, and colleagues note in the April 1st issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Although health-related quality of life in testicular cancer survivors is similar to that of healthy people, few studies have examined the prevalence of mental disorders. The current study suggests that testicular cancer survivors require clinical attention and that the use simple screening tests will help identify testicular cancer survivors with Anxiety disorder.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Oncology April 1, 2005.