Emotional states in patients with cancer or with suspected oral potentially malignant disorders: a cross-sectional study in an oral medicine setting

Abstract

Background: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the emotional states (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) of 4 distinct groups of patients attending an Oral Medicine setting. Material and Methods: four distinct subgroups of patients have been enrolled: 25 patients with OSCC (OSCC group); 25 patients with other solid tumor (ONCO group), 25 cancer patients with MRONJ (MRONJ group), 25 patients with oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD group). Standardized assessment tools (i.e. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) questionnaires) were utilized to evaluate the patients’ emotional states. Results: Among the 100 patients enrolled, 59% of whom were female, and most patients were aged between 70 and 80 years. The mean total BDI score was 16.57, and the mean total DASS-21 score was 15.32. The mean scores of the OSCC group showed moderate depression, all the other groups were classified as mild depression. The OPMD group showed a significantly higher level of anxiety. Conclusions: Patients in the oral medicine setting may face various diseases and may develop emotional states that affect their treatment adherence. For effective management of these emotional states, the presence of a multidisciplinary team, including a psychologist, and the adoption of individualized approaches, seem to be necessary.