Anxiety and depression in patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies: Influence of disease stage and psychosocial factors.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies, with their aggressiveness and poor prognosis, often trigger anxiety and depression in patients, but the roles of disease stage and psychosocial factors in this remain unclear. AIM: To explore the clinical characteristics and factors influencing comorbid anxiety and depression in patients with malignant liver, gallbladder, and pancreatic tumors. METHODS: This study enrolled 150 participants, including 48 patients with early stage (IA-IB) hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies (Control Group 1), 52 patients with middle-stage (IIA-IIIA) tumors (Observation Group), and 50 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination (Control Group 2). Anxiety and depression detection rates, and scores on the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Life Event Scale were compared across groups. The factors influencing emotion of each patient were collected and analyzed by group. RESULTS: Anxiety and depression detection rates were significantly higher in the Observation Group (82.69% and 92.31%, respectively; P < 0.05) than those in Control Groups 1 (62.50% and 66.67%, respectively) and 2 (10.00% and 8.00%, respectively). SAS and SDS scores showed similar trends. Life event stress scores and the presence of influencing factors, such as treatment side effects, pain, and economic burden, were also significantly elevated in the Observation Group. These findings suggest that psychological distress worsens as the disease progresses. CONCLUSION: Patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies are prone to comorbid anxiety and depression, with increasing severity in the later disease stages. Despite the relatively small sample size, our findings suggest the need for psychological assessments and interventions in comprehensive cancer care. Future studies should consider expanding the sample size to enhance generalizability. Strengthening psychosocial support may improve patient outcomes and quality of life.