Aims
Patients face psychological distresses after cancer diagnosis as well as throughout the survivorship. It is unknown the prevalence of anxiety and depression or treatment received for them. The aims were to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with endometrial cancer underwent for surgical treatment and, psychological treatment received for clinically diagnosed anxiety and depression
Methods
A secondary analysis was undertaken on an international multi-centre study commenced between 2005 to 2010. Patients aged >18 years, histologically confirmed stage I endometrial cancer, and underwent for surgery were included in this study. Data used for these analyses were collected in detail during the perioperative period and then one-week, four-week, three-month and six-month postoperatively. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (0-21) screening tool was used to determine clinical level of anxiety and depression (≥11).
Results
334 sample data were included in this analyses. The overall prevalence of clinical level of anxiety and depression was 22.7% (n= 76/334) and 9.0% (n= 30/334), respectively during perioperative to 6-month post-surgery. Among them, 7.2% (n= 24/334) patients were diagnosed with both anxiety and depression. Only 14 patients diagnosed with anxiety depression were visited mental health care professionals. 33 patients (9.9%) received antidepressants and anxiolytics for the treatment of anxiety and depression, however, no patients did not receive any treatment for clinically diagnosed depression only.
Conclusions
One in four patients were diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression, however only half of them received psychological or pharmacological treatment during early stage cancer survivorship. It is also possible that treatment was focused of the many physical conditions presented by the patients rather than their psychological well-being and secondary data did not allow the aforementioned potential explanation regarding not receiving treatment. Qualitative analysis could be used in future research to explore the psychological treatment received during cancer survivorship.