Psychosocial experiences of cancer patients across the COVID-19 era: Lasting implications for oncology.

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected the psychosocial well-being of cancer patients, who were simultaneously confronting a life-threatening illness and a global health crisis. This study explored how individuals with cancer made meaning of their experiences across four temporal phases of the pandemic (2020–2023). Using an interpretivist qualitative design, we conducted an inductive thematic analysis of written reflections from 120 patients who responded to the open-ended prompt, “What do the words ‘cancer’ and ‘pandemic’ mean to you?”. Four overarching themes emerged: Fear of Death, Loneliness and Isolation, Loss of Control and Uncertainty, and Confronting Cancer. Fear, vulnerability, and unpredictability dominated the early phases, whereas later periods reflected a return to cancer as the primary existential concern. Mask use acquired evolving symbolic meanings related to equality, stigma, and chronic vulnerability, persisting even in the post-pandemic period. Patients’ narratives also suggested enduring distress reactions, highlighting the long-lasting psychosocial imprint of collective crises. These findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed and biopsychosocial approaches in oncology care, including accessible long-term psychological support and digitally delivered psychosocial interventions. Lessons from this period should inform future preparedness strategies to enhance resilience among oncology populations during large-scale public health emergencies.