Occurrence patterns of reported gastrointestinal cancers and its correlation with psychological issues due to cancer diagnosis and its treatments - An epidemiological study.

Abstract

Context: Cancer is regarded as the leading cause of mortality and disabilities worldwide. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is the fifth highest cancer accounting for 5.7% of all cancers worldwide. Cancer diagnosis and its treatment have an impact on the patients' physical and psychological well-being.

Aim: To know the occurrence patterns of reported GI cancers and its correlation with psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and cognition due to cancer diagnosis and its treatments.

Methods: This epidemiological study was conducted at KLE Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Belagavi city, Karnataka, India for a period of 3 months. Data of 61 patients were collected using Zung depression scale, general anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), functional assessment of cancer therapy-cognitive function (FACT-Cog), and FCSI for depression, anxiety, cognition, and quality of life (QOL), respectively.

Results: The mutual risk factor of 61 patients was tobacco consumption, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption (P = 0.001) with majority of the cases being carcinoma of buccal cavity (n = 14). A poor correlation among the type of GI cancers, its stage, and treatment to depression, anxiety, and cognition were noted.

Conclusion: This study concludes that there is an association between the risk factor and the occurrence pattern, and an overall poor correlation of the cancer diagnosis and its treatment with the psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and cognition.