Effect of Anxiety and Depression on Survival of Cancer Patients, a 13 Year Follow-up

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety and depression occur at a high rate in cancer patients. However, debate remains regarding the effect of anxiety and depression on cancer survival.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of anxiety and depressive symptoms on the survival of cancer patients.
Methods: The subjects consisted of 112 cancer patients who attended the Oncology and Radiotherapy outpatient clinic Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1999. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire at inception. Information on patients’ mortality status for extended 13 years follow-up (in 2011) was obtained from the National Registration Department death records. Overall survival for each anxiety and depressive symptoms scores in HADS at 13 years was calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: Cancer patients experienced more anxiety (83%) compared to depressive symptoms (40.2%). The mean (S.D.) HADS scores for depressive symptoms were 9.9 (2.5), and the anxiety symptoms score was 12.6 (2.1). At 13 years, half of the patients (50.9%) had died. No significant effect of anxiety (p=0.399, 95% C.I.= 6.2-8.4) or depressive symptoms at inception (p=0.749, 95% C.I.= 5.9-8.4) towards cancer patients’ survival was found at 13 years follow-up.
Conclusion: The occurrence of anxiety symptoms among cancer patients in this study was 2-folds higher than depressive symptoms. However, no significant increased risk of death was found in cancer patients with anxiety or depressive symptoms at 13 years follow-up. It may imply that as time extended, survival in cancer patients may be related to various interacting elements, and intervening health factors are of importance.