Quality of Life and Psycho-Affective Disorders in Patients Treated for Lung Cancer

Introduction: Anxiety and depression are commonly diagnosed in oncology and it can worsen the quality of life (QL) of patients with lung cancer (LC). Aim of study: Assess anxiety and depression in patients with LC and evaluate QL. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted during 1 month among patients diagnosed and treated for LC in a pulmonology department. Patients answered 2 questionnaires: EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire, LC13 (QLQ-LC13) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) which was administrated by the same investigator. Components of QLQ LC-13 are: LC associated symptoms and side-effects from chemo and radiotherapy. HADS is composed of 7 items related to anxiety (diagnosed with a score ≥11) and 7 items related to depression (diagnosed with a score ≥11). Results: 32 patients were enrolled (average age=62 years; average BMI=23kg/m2). The histological type of cancer was an adenocarcinoma in 45%, squamous cell carcinoma in 35% and small cells carcinoma in 20%. The staging was: 56% stage IV, 34% stage III and 10% stage II. Anxiety was detected in 72% of cases, depression suspected in 40% and 72% of patients had worsened QL. QLQ-LC13 score was correlated to anxiety (r=0.572;p=0.001) and depression (r=0.529; p=0.002). Higher QLQ-LC13 score was associated with lower socio-economic level (p=0.015). Patients suffering from dyspnea had higher anxiety (p=0.036) and depression scores (p=0.027). Smoking cessation was associated with lower anxiety score (p=0.033). Depression and anxiety symptoms were reduced among religious believers and practitioners (p<0.005). Conclusion: More than half of patients with LC had anxiety and worsened QL. Psychological support is required to improve their QL.