Treatment of depression, anxiety and breast cancer in slovenian female patients

Abstract

IntroductionBeside psychological distress of breast cancer diagnosis and patophysiological characteristics of breast cancer it is also known that different treatments could have influence on mental well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate treatment of depression, anxiety and breast cancer in Slovenian female patients.ResultsIn the study were included 314 female patients with breast cancer treated at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana between September 2004 and July 2005. Only 18 patients were not surgically treated. Majority (80%) of all patients were treated also with chemotherapy. In combination with chemotherapy 43% of all patients received also radiotherapy and 50% received also hormonal therapy. Altogether 72 (22,9%) patients expressed clinically important serious anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) score of 11 or more on anxiety subscale), 39 (12,4%) clinically significant serious depression (HAD score of 11 or more on depression subscale) and 51 (16,2%) clinically significant depression and anxiety combined (HAD score of 11 or more on both subscales). Among patients with clinically significant serious anxiety 19 (26,4%) patients were psychiatrically treated before inclusion into study. Among patients with clinically significant serious depression 13 (33,3%) patients were psychiatrically treated before inclusion into study and among patients with clinically significant serious anxiety and depression 24 (47,0%) patients were psychiatrically treated before inclusion into study.ConclusionsLess then half of patients with breast cancer with comorbid clinically significant expressed serious anxiety and/or depression has been psychiatrically treated before the inclusion in the study.