Quality of life, anxiety, and depression in Turkish colorectal cancer patients

The aim of the present study is to investigate variations in quality of life as a function of depression and anxiety scores of colorectal cancer patients with Beck depression and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scoring system.

One hundred ten patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy who presented to Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Oncology between January 2004 and April 2007 were included in this study. The series of forms including the questions regarding the demographic characteristics of the patient, Turkish version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Turkish version of the STAI, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30; version 3) were completed during face-to-face interviews by trained interviewers to determine the psychological status and quality of life of the patients. The mean Beck depression scores were 11.2 ± 9.0 (range 0–44) and the mean STAI scores were 41.9 ± 8.8 (range 22–71). Of the patients (Beck depression scores ≥17 points), 23.6% were determined as depressive. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 function scales and global quality of life scores of the depressive patients (BDI ≥ 17) were significantly lower than that of the nondepressive patients (BDI < 17). EORTC-QLQ-C30 symptom scale scores (excluding of the diarrhea) of the depressive patients were significantly higher than that of the nondepressive patients. The patients with low STAI scores (STAI < 45) had significantly higher EORTC-QLQ-C30 function scales and global quality of life scores than the patients with high STAI scores (STAI ≥ 45). EORTC-QLQ-C30 symptom scale scores of the patients with high STAI scores were significantly higher than that of the patients with low STAI scores. In the present study, we detected that anxiety and depression were strongly associated with poor quality of life in Turkish colorectal cancer patients.