[Psychological alterations in patients with cancer of the larynx before and after laryngectomy].

Our work, about the psychological disorders associated with cancer of the larynx and its therapeutics, study a group of 54 neoplasicos patients who have undergone a laryngectomy, before and after surgical treatment. We analyze in the pre-operation period, the relationship between the cancer and anxiety/state, comparing the patients with a serious neoplasia and those with a more benign pathology. After the operation, we study the relationship between the loss or retention of speech and the existence of anxiety/state and depression. We evaluate anxiety through the (STAI) of Spielberger and depression through the SDS scale of Zung. The pre-operative results indicate that the patients have levels of A/E significantly greater (p < 0.0001) than the mean score in the control group, without there being any significant difference according to the gravity of the cancer. Patients that have lost the capacity to speak after the surgical treatment, have significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression than the control group and those patients that have retained the capacity to speak (p < 0.0005). Other results about the relationship between the two disorders studied and variables of personality, can be found in the analysis section and in the discussion of the results.