Frequency of Depression and its Correlation with Quality of Life of Patients with Oral Cavity Cancer

INTRODUCTION the effects of malignant tumors of oral cavity may be reflected through mental, physical, social and emotional well-being and quality of life of patients. Those suffering from malignancies show a large degree of psychological problems (fear, anxiety, depression, panic disorders, phobias) both at the time of diagnosis and during the treatment. AIM to determine a level of depression in patients with oral cavity cancer and to link quality of life and level of depression of patients with oral cavity cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study was conducted at the Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery of the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo (CCUS) in the period from July to late October 2015, through a survey of patients with verified oral cavity cancer, questionnaire related to socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS Majority of patients from our study, specifically 50 (56%) of them, did not suffer from depression, 8 (9%) respondents suffered from mild depression, 14 (16%) respondents had moderate depression, whereas 17 (19%) of them had severe depression. CONCLUSION quality of life and level of depression of patients with oral cavity cancer are in negative and almost linear correlation. The worse the evaluation results of one's physical or socio-emotional health, the higher degree of depression.