[Psychological adjustment and prevalence of psychiatric disorders in cancer patients].

Background And Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the predictors of mental disorders in cancer patients.

Patients And Method: 400 ambulatory cancer patients were included in the study. All the patients with a score of 14 or higher in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) received a structured clinical interview (SCID-I. DSMIV) with the objective of determining the prevalence of mental disorders.

Results: 24% cancer patients had criteria for a mental disorder. The predictors of mental disorders were radiotherapy treatment, psychopharmacological treatment and pain.

Conclusions: These results support the need to assess the possible anxious and depressive symptoms during cancer treatment and follow up. The predictors found can help to detect possible psychiatric cases in cancer patients.