Scanxiety

/ General Information, Impact of Breast Cancer, Mental Health and Breast Cancer

Rose HollandBy Rose Holland

As cancer survivors we have a different view of upcoming scans and tests. Anxiety climbs as we experience the fear of being told we have cancer again. “Scanxiety” is a term that describes  “the anxiety commonly associated with individuals undergoing cancer-related imaging” (Hussain et al, 2023). It is not just the cancer patient who experiences scanxiety, the caregiver may as well. Last year about two weeks before my mammogram, I told my husband I was feeling anxious about the upcoming scan. He shared that he was feeling the anxiety too. It helped both of us to talk about it. Let’s take a look at scanxiety and how we can help one other manage it.

Mental Health Effects of Cancer
Cancer affects the mental health of patients and their families. One study compared 2,656 cancer survivors to over 112,000 individuals who did not report having cancer. It found that those who had cancer had significantly higher instances of mental health problems (Ji et al, 2020). A study of 233 couples where one partner had lymphoma (cancer originating in the lymphatic system) showed that spouses had a higher fear of cancer reoccurrence than patients (Wu, Lan, Lioa et al, 2023).

Effects of Scanxiety
Scanxiety is one of the challenges faced by cancer patients and their families. There are a number of studies on scanxiety and many cancer organizations and medical institutions have articles online to help patients and their families manage it. Why is managing scanxiety important? Scanxiety, just like any anxiety, can cause sleep loss, lack of appetite, changes in mood, faster heart rate, trouble focusing and more. Additionally, according to Custers et al (2021),

After scan results, patients often have difficulties processing what was talked about in the room with the doctor, and feelings of reassurance are not sustained. Literature shows that 40–80% of medical information provided by healthcare practitioners is forgotten immediately, and that almost half of the information remembered is incorrect.

The lack of information retention and remembering information incorrectly can have devastating effects.

How to Manage Scanxiety
So how can we mitigate some of the effects of scanxiety? I found a number of approaches to help you and your family manage scanxiety.

Before a Scan

  • Let your partner and your healthcare provider know! Sharing your fear can help reduce it and it can also help them prepare you and provide support.
  • Connect to others. Build a support system so you do not feel so alone in all of this. Talk to friends and family. Join a support group in person or online.
  • Make a list of questions such as how to get ready for the scan, how long will it last, and when and how you will get results.
  • Write down your thoughts and feelings. This can help reduce the fear and help you understand what you are experiencing.
  • Schedule tests early in the day. This will help reduce the amount of anxiety for the day.
  • Consider getting mental health support. Many cancer centers have counselors or social workers who can provide support. Sometimes anti-anxiety medication can be provided to help you relax for the scan.
  • Practice relaxation. Consider learning breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, yoga or other techniques.

During

  • Let your technician know you are nervous. They can help you in a number of ways. Do you need them to talk to you throughout the procedure? Give you an overview of what will happen? Think about what might help you and ask for what you need.
  • Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation during the scan. This can help take your mind off of the procedure.
  • Bring a family member or a friend. They can help you stay calm before and after the scan.

After

  • Distract yourself as you wait for results. Read, watch TV, go out with friends, exercise, practice a hobby, take a trip.
  • Have a family member or trusted friend with you if you will receive results in person. If you are accessing the results in a portal, consider having someone with you when you view the results.
  • Take notes about the results. This is so important, remember that 40-80% of the information provided is forgotten and almost half is remembered incorrectly. Notes can help you recall and verify with the provider that you understand everything.
  • Write down questions for your provider and either call or send a message through your portal. Often, we are nervous to “bother” a provider, but they are there to help you.

Conclusion
As cancer patients and caregivers, we are more prone to anxiety. This is highlighted each time we have a scan or test. A scan can bring up the fear of recurrence and the memories of all we went through during treatment. We can take some control and help reduce some of the anxiety by talking about it, sharing our concerns, preparing and practicing calming techniques. Do not be afraid to reach out for professional help. This is a tough journey.

References

Alexander Dahl, H. (2025). 6 ways to cope with scanxiety. MD Anderson Cancer Center. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/6-ways-to-cope-with-scanxiety-before-your-checkup-or-medical-tests-cancer-screening-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.h00-159386679.html.

Custers, J. A. E., Davis, L., Messiou, C., Prins, J. B. and van der Graaf, W. T. A. (2021). The patient perspective in the era of personalized medicine: What about scanxiety? Cancer medicine, 10(9), 2943–2945. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.3889.

Derry-Vick, H. M., Heathcote, L. C., Glesby, N., Stribling, J., Luebke, M., Epstein, A. S. and Prigerson, H. G. (2023). Scanxiety among adults with cancer: A scoping review to guide research and interventions. Cancers, 15(5), 1381. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15051381.

Hussain, M., Chau, S., Turner, M. and Paterson, C. (2023). Scan-associated distress in people affected by cancer: A qualitative systematic review. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 39(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151502.

Ji, X., Cummings, J.R., Gilleland Marchak, J., Han, X. and Mertens, A.C. (2020). Mental health among nonelderly adult cancer survivors: A national estimate. Cancer, 126(16), 3768-3776. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.32988.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2025). Managing scanxiety during your cancer treatment. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/managing-scanxiety-during-your-cancer-treatment.

Wu. J., Lan, X., Liao, Z., Chen, J. and Wu, Y. (2025). Comparison of the sense of spousal support, anxiety, depression and their relationship to fear of cancer recurrence between lymphoma patients and their spouses: A cross-sectional study in China. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 19, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-023-01443-9.


Rose Holland joined WBCC in 2024. She was born in Wisconsin and has a Doctorate of Education degree from University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, a Master of Theology from St. Norbert College in De Pere, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Her career focused on advocating for military families and providing career development opportunities in the workplace. She was a military spouse for over 30 years and has lived in seven states and Italy, retiring in Wisconsin. She has a family history of breast cancer with her grandmother, aunt and cousin having had breast cancer. She was diagnosed in October 2022 and completed treatment in January 2023.