Feature|Articles|June 2, 2026

Cancer’s Hidden Wound: Trauma From Diagnosis Through Survivorship

Fact checked by: Giuliana Grossi

Trauma after cancer is underdiagnosed and often persists into survivorship, with experts urging trauma-informed screening in oncology care.


A cancer diagnosis does not end when treatment does. For a significant portion of patients, the psychological distress it triggers can persist well into survivorship, often going unrecognized and untreated and occurring at any point following a diagnosis.1 Research shows the prevalence can range between 3% and 33%.2-6