Abstract
Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anxiety and
depression status of prostate cancer (PCa) patients whose planned
operations in the urology clinic of our hospital, which is serving as a
pandemic hospital in Turkey have been postponed due to the coronavirus
disease 2019 pandemic.
Methods: This survey study was conducted at urology clinic of
Ankara City Hospital between March 1 and June 1, 2020 and included 24
male patients who agreed to answer the questionnaires (State-Trait
Anxiety Inventory [STAI] I and II and Beck Depression Inventory
[BDI]). Demographical and clinical data (age, time since diagnosis,
total serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, risk groups
according to the D’Amico classification system, smoking, alcohol
habitus, major surgical history, and comorbidities) of the patients were
collected from hospital software.
Results: The mean STAI-I score of the patients (46.7 ± 1.4
[44–49]) was significantly higher than their STAI-II score (41.7 ±
2.4 [39–47]) (p < 0.001). The negative correlation
between the decrease in age and STAI-I score was found to be
statistically significant (r = 0.439, p < 0.05). The mean BDI
score of the patients was 4.3 ± 3.2 (0–13), which was compatible with
mild depression. There was no statistically significant difference
between the time elapsed from diagnosis, PSA levels, smoking and alcohol
habitus, major surgical history and comorbidity status, and STAI-I,
STAI-II, and BDI scores (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Prostate cancer patients with postponed operations
should be guided properly in order to manage their anxiety status
especially young patients.
Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Postponed operations;
Prostate cancer