10th Lung Cancer Europe Report
Lung cancer and mental health: Experiences reported by Europeans impacted by lung cancer
Published October 2025
Lung cancer affects far more than physical health. Fear, uncertainty and sadness can follow people from diagnosis onwards, and the emotional impact is often felt just as strongly by the people caring for them.
Lung Cancer Europe’s tenth report examined the psychological and emotional impact of lung cancer across Europe. It looked at how mental health was affected, what helped people cope, and whether mental health support was offered as part of their care.
Between 28 May and 6 July 2025, 2,204 people from 31 countries took part in the survey. This included 1,709 people diagnosed with lung cancer and 495 people caring for someone with the disease.
2,204 people
took part in the survey
31 countries
represented across the WHO European Region
61.2% of people
reported a negative impact of lung cancer on their mental health
The survey ran from 28 May to 6 July 2025 and was available in 19 languages.
What the report looked at
The emotional impact of lung cancer Fear, sadness, anxiety and uncertainty, and how emotional difficulties affected family life, social life, work and finances.
Depression and anxiety Diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders before and after lung cancer, relapse or worsening of existing conditions, and the treatment people received.
Coping and support from others What helped people maintain their mental health, including keeping a sense of normality, a healthy lifestyle and support from family and friends.
Support within the care pathway Whether mental health support was offered, whether people told their healthcare team about emotional difficulties, and what would help most.
“Helplessness. I could help my wife, but I couldn’t cure her.”
Nine in ten participants experienced emotional difficulties that affected daily life after diagnosis, and 46.3% said these difficulties frequently or constantly disrupted their daily lives. Yet half were not offered any form of mental health support, and 41.3% felt their healthcare team had not given them adequate emotional support.
What Lung Cancer Europe called for
Make mental health support part of lung cancer care
Build psychological support into every stage of the lung cancer pathway, from diagnosis through treatment and survivorship, and ask about emotional wellbeing routinely rather than waiting for people to raise it.
Support caregivers as well as people living with lung cancer
Caregivers reported poorer mental health and less emotional support from healthcare teams. They should be offered information and psychological support in their own right.
The mental health impact of lung cancer
Lung cancer and mental health showed how widely the emotional impact of lung cancer is felt, and how often support is missing.
Published in 2025, the report called for mental health support to be recognised as a core part of lung cancer care, for people living with lung cancer and those caring for them.
Lung Cancer and Mental Health
Lung Cancer Europe 10th Annual ReportLung Cancer Europe 10th Country Reports
Lung Cancer Europe’s 10th Report examined the impact of lung cancer on mental health across Europe.
Ten country reports were then developed to provide a closer look at national findings, using responses from people affected by lung cancer in each country.
Published on 26 March 2026, the country reports are available in their native languages and can be read or downloaded below.