Improving survival rates from a variety of cancers, have prompted oncologists to think more about things like the costs of the drugs they are prescribing, and refer patients earlier to a psychologist or psychiatrist, particularly patients already dealing with problems like depression or stress even before their cancer diagnosis. There is also an increasing use of social workers as well as financial advisors to work with families early on, Cortes says.

This more aggressive emphasis on survival reflects the positive reality that more patients are surviving, the investigators say.

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