Influence of anxiety and depression on one-year survival in lung cancer patients

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with lung cancer often suffer from unrecognized anxiety and depression, or combined disorder. The major aim of this trial was evaluation of influence of these disorders on 1-year survival of patients with lung cancer. Patients and methods: this was prospective observational trial that included lung cancer patients. Main inclusion criteria were: stage IIIB or IV lung cancer (LC),at least one chemotherapy line (platinum based), depression, anxiety or combined, confirmed by hospital anxiety depression rate scale (HADS). Results: Out of total 79 patients included, 70.9% were males and 29.1% females. Majority of patients were current smokers (53.2%), in ECOG performance status 1 (78.5%) with diagnosed NSCLC (79.8%). Out of total in 43% of patients one or both disorders were confirmed (14.7% anxiety, 44.1% depression and 41.8% combined disorder). Median survival of LC patients with depression was 7.38 months, while median survival of LC patients with combined disorder was 4.62 months. Median survival of LC patients without disorder was 6.83 months. Median survival of NSCLC patients with disorder was 6.03 months while median survival of patients without disorder was 6.89 months. Median survival of SCLC patients with and without disorder was 6.51 months and 6.77 months respectively. We did not observe any statistically significant differences in median 1-year survival between lung cancer patients with or without disorder. Conclusions: Anxiety, depression or combined disorder might not have influence on 1-year survival of lung cancer patients despite the fact that they are present in large number of patients. However, larger scale trials are needed to confirm these results.