Brief Report: Hispanic Patients' Trajectory of Cancer Symptom Burden, Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life

Background: Anxiety and depression symptoms are known to increase cancer symptom burden, yet little is known about the longitudinal integrations of these among Hispanic/Latinx patients. The goal of this study was to explore the trajectory and longitudinal interactions among anxiety and depression, cancer symptom burden, and health-related quality of life in Hispanic/Latinx cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: Baseline behavioral assessments were performed before starting chemotherapy. Follow-up behavioral assessments were performed at 3, 6, and 9 months after starting chemotherapy. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and Mann-Whitney tests explored associations among outcome variables. Adjusted multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models were also used to evaluate the association between HADS scores, follow-up visits, FACT-G scale, MDASI scale, and sociodemographic variables. Results: Increased cancer symptom burden was significantly related to changes in anxiety symptoms' scores (adjusted (beta) over cap = 0.11 [95% CI: 0.02, 0.19]. Increased quality of life was significantly associated with decreased depression and anxiety symptoms (adjusted (beta) over cap = -0.33; 95% CI: -0.47, -0.18, and 0.38 adjusted (beta) over cap= -0.38; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.20, respectively). Conclusions: Findings highlight the need to conduct periodic mental health screenings among cancer patients initiating cancer treatment.

Automated summary

This study examined the longitudinal interactions among anxiety, depression, cancer symptom burden, and health-related quality of life in Hispanic/Latinx cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The results showed that increased cancer symptom burden was significantly related to changes in anxiety symptoms, while improved quality of life was associated with decreased depression and anxiety symptoms.