Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29318702›Full record

SynthesisPsycho-oncology2018

Predictors of emotional distress a year or more after diagnosis of cancer: A systematic review of the literature.

Sharon A Cook, Peter Salmon, Gemma Hayes, Angela Byrne, Peter L Fisher

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psycho-oncology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
64citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

64 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Trial
  9. Relationship between social support, physical symptoms, and depression in women with breast cancer and pain.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021
    Trial
  10. Trial
  11. The Role of Emotional Entitlement, Gratitude, and Social Support in Psychological Adjustment During Radiotherapy: A Longitudinal Study.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Interdependence, marginalisation, and self-acceptance: lived experiences of cancer patients in rural China.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2025
    Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Chronic illness as transformative activity.Medicine, health care, and philosophy · 2025
    Article

4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sharon A CookInstitute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3384-3920
Peter SalmonInstitute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Gemma HayesThe Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
Angela ByrneInstitute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Peter L FisherInstitute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council 90482Medical Research Council G0802425
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWhy some people recover emotionally after diagnosis and treatment of cancer and others do not is poorly understood. To identify factors around the time of diagnosis that predict longer-term distress is a necessary step in developing interventions to reduce patients' vulnerability. This review identified the demographic, clinical, social, and psychological factors available at or within 3 months of diagnosis that are reliable predictors of emotional distress at least 12 months later.

methodsA systematic search of literature for prospective studies addressing our research question and predicting a range of distress outcomes was conducted. Thirty-nine papers (reporting 36 studies) were subjected to narrative synthesis of the evidence.

resultsThere was no consistent evidence that demographic, clinical, or social factors reliably predicted longer-term distress. Of the psychological factors examined, only baseline distress (significant in 26 of 30 relevant papers; 24 of 28 studies) and neuroticism (significant in all 5 papers/studies that examined it) consistently predicted longer-term distress. The heterogeneity of included studies, particularly in populations studied and methodology, precluded meta-analytic techniques.

conclusionsThis review supports current clinical guidance advising early assessment of distress as a marker of vulnerability to persistent problems. Additionally, neuroticism is also indicated as a useful marker of vulnerability. However, the review also highlights that more sophisticated research designs, capable of identifying the psychological processes that underlie the association between these marker variables and persistent distress, are needed before more effective early interventions can be developed.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalAnxietyCancer SurvivorsDepressionFemaleHumansMaleNeoplasmsQuality of LifeSelf ConceptStress, Psychologicalanxietycancerdepressionemotional distressoncologypredictorprospectivesystematic reviewtrauma

Identifiers

PMID29318702
PMCPMC5873392

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.