Psychiatry Research EG

Childhood cancer-survival rates have increased drastically over the past 30 years. In 1970, the 5-year survival rate was less than 30%, whereas today more than 75% of children who are diagnosed with cancer are expected to survive the disease. As this population has grown, the quality of life in terms of long-term survival has become increasingly more important [1]. Thus, the psychological late sequelae are becoming increasingly important, which could be a result of cancer, treatment-related factors, or late medical side effects [2]. A diagnosis of cancer in childhood causes psychological trauma that may affect psychological and social development of young adults [3]. This may evoke feelings of intense fear (reexperiencing the traumatic event, arousal, numbing, and avoidance of event reminders), together with occupational and social impairment, that fulfill the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This diagnosis has been documented in both pediatric and adult patients with cancer while on active therapy and many years after the successful completion of therapy. Prevalence estimates for PTSD in patients with cancer and survivors range from 2.5 to 20% [4]. Therefore, the advantage of systemically assessing the prevalence of PTSD in this population is to allow for specific questions about the impact of illness and examine symptoms and reactions typically seen in persons affected by extreme stress [5]. Eventually, PTSD as a result of exposure to extreme stress can be a major risk factor for development of a first depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol and substance abuse [6]. Study of related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) is another important issue. PTSS are broader and more normative than the psychiatric diagnosis of PTSD. PTSS are defined as a set of psychological and physiological responses of children and their families to pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures, and invasive or frightening treatment experiences. These symptoms do not cause impairments in social and occupational functioning, but may allow an understanding regarding why patients continue to suffer psychologically years after treatment ends [7]. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of PTSD and in Egyptian long-term childhood cancer survivors