Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP86-12
Sources of Funding: None

Introduction

Interest in disease-specific psychological well-being of patients with cancer has increased, and it has been estimated that less than half of all cancer patients are properly identified and treated for anxiety or depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological health assessment in oncological patients admitted for surgery.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study in consecutively enrolled patients with bladder, kidney or prostate cancer, scheduled for surgery. Demographic data, socioeconomic status, education level and diagnoses were recorded. We evaluated the level of clinically meaningful depression and anxiety assessed by two tools: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In order to determine variables related to depression and anxiety among the demographic variables, logistic regression analyses were conducted, with p<0.05 considered as statistically significant.

Results

207 patients completed the questionnaires and were included in the study. The most frequent procedures were performed for bladder tumours (60.4%), being transurethral resection the most common type of surgery (52.7%) followed by radical prostatectomy (24.6%). The mean STAI-state score was 19.3 (±10.3), and the mean STAI-trait score was 18.4 (±11.9) points. Patients showed HADs depression and anxiety scores of 3.3 (±3) and 5.6 (±3.3) points, respectively. Female patients showed a higher level of anxiety and STAI-trait compared to males.

Conclusions

Gender, tumour type and surgical approach were significantly related to psychological distress in patients undergoing surgery for urological cancer. Females and patients with kidney tumour undergoing radical nephrectomy presented higher levels of anxiety.

Funding

None