Dissertation 26 Oct 2018: Jianwei Zhu

On Friday Oct 26, Jianwei Zhu will defend his thesis "Severe psychological stress associated with a cancer diagnosis". Professor Barbara Andersen from the Department of Psychology at Ohio State University will act as his opponent. Jianwei's supervisors are Fang Fang, Katja Fall, Unnur Valdimarsdóttir and Arvid Sjölander.

Jianwei's thesis addresses psychological distress associated with receiving a cancer diagnosis. Previous studies have shown increased risk for various health consequences following a cancer diagnosis, including mental disorders, life-threatening cardiovascular events, and suicide. However, whether the severe stress response after a cancer diagnosis impacts cancer progression and healthcare use pattern for cancer patients, and is there any potential intervention can help to reduce the stress response, are not clear yet. In his findings, stress-related mental disorders diagnosed around cancer diagnosis, as indicators of the severe stress response to cancer diagnosis, were associated with an increased cancer-specific mortality and increased rate of hospital admission. Beta-blocking agent treatment was not associated with a decreased risk of severe cardiovascular events immediately following a cancer diagnosis. For men with suspected prostate cancer, a shortened waiting-time during the diagnostic workup might lead to reduced risks of depression and sleeping problem.

Time and location: 09:00, Oct 26 2018 in the lecture hall Petrén, Nobels väg 12B, Karolinska Institutet, Solna