Anxiety, Depression, Fear of Progression and Illness Adaptation in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Fear of progression, anxiety and depression are highly interconnected in breast cancer patients and survivors, and they shape adaptation to the disease. Materials and Methods: This observational, cross-sectional, multicentre, non-interventional study was conducted in two hospitals in Romania during one month (July 2026). A total of 120 patients with breast cancer were assessed with three questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Illness Cognition Questionnaire (ICQ) and the Short Fear of Progression Questionnaire (FoP-12). Results: Anxiety reached at least the borderline band in 58 patients (48.3%) and depression in 59 patients (49.2%). Fear of progression was dysfunctional in 46 patients (38.3%). High acceptance (64, 53.3%) and high perceived benefits (61, 50.8%) each described about half the sample, whereas high helplessness was uncommon (10, 8.3%). Discussion: Anxiety and depression were strongly related (ρ = .77, 95% CI [.67, .84], p < .001). Helplessness, anxiety, depression and fear of progression were all significantly and positively intercorrelated, with coefficients from .27 to .77, all q < .01. Conclusions: Anxiety, depression and fear of progression were common and closely interrelated, whereas differences between patient subgroups were few and modest once multiple testing was taken into account. These findings are exploratory and support routine psychological screening of breast cancer patients, but they do not identify established risk factors.