[Perioperative psychological status of patients undergoing radical mastectomy and total hysterectomy]

Using four different psychological tests, namely Spielberger's rating scale [The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)], Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) and Baum test, we investigated the perioperative psychological status of patients undergoing radical mastectomy for breast cancer and compared data with those of patients undergoing total hysterectomy for uterine myoma. Parameters reflecting the psychological status of hysterectomy patients disclosed lower postoperative anxiety, and slight nervousness and persistent depression perioperatively. In contrast, in patients with breast cancer, those with nervousness had persistent anxiety and depression, while those without nervousness showed the same persistent depression as in hysterectomy patients, as well as a high anxiety level postoperatively. Therefore, we speculate that the persistence of depressive mood during the perioperative period is a factor in the psychological disturbance of mastectomy patients with breast cancer, and moreover, they appear markedly apprehensive because of cancer. These results suggest that the persistence of anxiety and depressive mood associated with cancer is a prime factor in the etiology of postoperative psychological disturbance.