The longitudinal changes of anxiety and depression, their related risk factors and prognostic value in colorectal cancer survivors: a 36-month follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE

This study was to investigate the longitudinal change of post-operative anxiety and depression, their related risk factors and prognostic value in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients after resection.

METHODS

Totally, 302 CRC patients who underwent resection were consecutively recruited. Their anxiety and depression were assessed by hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) at Month 0 (M0) and then every 3 months till Month 36 (M36).

RESULTS

Within 36-month follow-up period, HADS-A score (from 8.3 ± 3.3 at M0 to 8.8 ± 3.4 at M36, P = 0.179) exhibited an upward trend with time but without statistical significance; while anxiety rate (from 46.4% at M0 to 52.6% at M36, P = 0.019) was increased steadily with time longitudinally. Meanwhile, both HADS-D score (from 7.4±3.0 at M0 to 9.2±3.5 at M36, P < 0.001) and depression rate (from 33.8% at M0 to 57.9% at M36, P < 0.001) were elevated greatly with time longitudinally. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression revealed that female and tumor size (≥5 cm) were common independent risk factors for baseline/1-year/2-year/3-year anxiety (all P < 0.05); meanwhile, female, marry status (single/divorced/widowed vs. married) and advanced TNM stage were common independent risk factors for baseline/1-year/2-year/3-year depression (all P < 0.05). As for new-onset anxiety and depression, no independent factor associated with new-onset anxiety was observed; meanwhile, female and TNM stage were independent risk factors for new-onset depression (both P < 0.05). Additionally, baseline/1-year anxiety and baseline/1-year/2-year/3-year depression were associated with lower accumulating OS (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Post-operative anxiety and depression are highly prevalent and continuously progress, which also correlate with worse survival prognosis in CRC patients.