In 2012, Patricia Ganz, M.D., saw a 39-year-old cancer survivor for a consultation who had a long-term history of anxiety during medical visits. The woman had been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma when she was 23 years old. Though her treatment was successful, the cancer returned when she was 25. She received high-dose chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, and full-dose radiation therapy to the chest. This treatment increased her risk for heart damage and breast cancer.
Dr. Ganz recommended continued monitoring for potential late medical effects, as well as psychosocial consultation for her chronic anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
