Anxiety and depression in sarcoma patients: Emotional adjustment and its determinants in the different phases of disease

Abstract 

Purpose

Sarcoma patients are a particularly debilitated group and vulnerable to the development of significant psychosocial difficulties. In this study we examine the prevalence and levels of anxiety and depression in different phases of disease and we analyse the determinants of sarcoma patients’ emotional adjustment.

Method

One hundred and forty two sarcoma patients in different phases of the cancer experience were recruited from three Portuguese Cancer Care Units and completed the Portuguese version of HADS.

Results

The majority of sarcoma patients, in the different phases of disease, reported normal or mild levels of anxiety and depression but, for a significant minority, the emotional distress was clinically relevant. In general, anxiety and depression scores were below the cut-off “caseness” threshold of 11 and, with the exception of depression levels for patients in treatment phase, no differences were found between groups on the outcome measures. Age, gender, presenting status and time since the termination of treatments were found to be significant determinants of anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

In the different phases of the disease an important number of patients may show significant psychological distress and, therefore, psychosocial interventions adapted to each period of the illness trajectory and to the demographic and clinical contexts are needed for this type of cancer.

Keywords: Sarcomas, Emotional adjustment, Disease trajectory, Anxiety, Depression