QOL-20. PATTERNS AND PREDICTORS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOM TRAJECTORIES IN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND Patients diagnosed with primary brain tumors (pPBTs) exhibit high psychological distress. This study assessed how symptoms of anxiety and depression change over time in pPBTs and identified factors that may predict patients’ symptom trajectories. METHODS Ninety-nine adult pPBTs completed psychosocial assessments at routine neuro-oncology clinical appointments over 6 to 18 months, with a minimum 8-week interval between assessments. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed with the PROMIS Anxiety and Depression Short-Forms. The prevalence and incidence of patients with clinically elevated anxiety and depression symptoms throughout follow-up were examined, along with the prevalence of patients that experienced clinically meaningful changes in symptoms between follow-ups. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated changes in symptoms over time at the group level and latent class growth analysis (LCGA) evaluated changes in symptoms over time at the individual level. RESULTS At baseline, 51.5% and 32.3% of patients exhibited clinically elevated levels of anxiety and depression, respectively. Of patients with any follow-up data (N = 74), 54.1% and 50% experienced clinically meaningful increases in anxiety and depression scores, respectively. The incidence of moderate to severe anxiety and depression was 15.6% and 8.3%, respectively. There was no significant change in symptoms over time at the group level, but better physical, functional, and brain-cancer well-being predicted significantly lower anxiety and depression symptoms (p< .001). Results from LCGA showcased 5-unique subgroups of patients with distinct anxiety and depression symptom trajectories. CONCLUSION pPBTs commonly experience elevated anxiety and depression. Symptoms of anxiety and depression change in clinically meaningful manners throughout the disease, even in the absence of significant group-level time effects. Routine screening for elevated symptoms is needed to capture clinically meaningful changes in symptoms and identify factors affecting symptoms to intervene.