Psycho-Oncology
A cancer diagnosis and treatment can profoundly affect the brain, giving rise to psychiatric conditions that deserve the same expert attention as your physical care. Depression, anxiety, delirium, and other psychiatric symptoms are common across every stage of cancer but often go unrecognized and untreated. Your cancer team can connect you with Duke Health psychiatrists who evaluate and treat people in Durham facing cancer.
When Psycho-Oncology Can Help
New Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis can trigger intense emotional responses, including shock, fear, and uncertainty. Once you are referred by your Duke oncologist, our psychiatrists assess you for depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders, helping you and your oncology team understand how your mental health may affect your treatment decisions and overall care.
During Active Treatment
Cancer treatments including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, and surgery can cause or worsen psychiatric symptoms. Our team specializes in effects of cancer treatment such as depression, delirium, cognitive changes, and sleep disturbance, providing diagnosis and medication management tailored to the medical complexity of your care.
After Treatment
The end of active treatment can bring its own challenges, including fear of the cancer coming back, depression, and cognitive difficulties that last beyond treatment. Our psychiatrists work with you to evaluate and treat these ongoing symptoms, supporting your return to health and daily life.
Advanced Illness
When cancer can no longer be cured, mental health needs often intensify. Our team provides expert evaluation and treatment of depression, anxiety, delirium, and existential distress in the setting of advanced illness, working closely with your palliative care and oncology teams to support your quality of life and the people who care for you.
Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.
Consistently Ranked Among the Nation’s Best Hospitals
Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why we are recognized as the best hospital in North Carolina, and nationally ranked in 11 adult and 9 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report for 2025–2026.
