COMMON PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS IN CANCER-PATIENTS .2. ANXIETY AND ACUTECONFUSIONAL STATES

Anxiety is a very prominent symptom of cancer patients and appears mos t frequently in connection with adjustment disorders. However, it can also be part of a normal adaptation to the disease, related to an anxi ety disorder, or can be caused by variety of other reasons, including underlying somatic processes. The clinical presentation, etiology, dia gnostic proceedings and the treatment of anxiety in patients with canc er is surveyed. Delirium (acute confusional states) is a neglected psy chiatric syndrome in regard to diagnosis, treatment and research effor ts. Especially in cancer patients, delirium is frequent and its incide nce increases with advanced disease. A brief overview on the current l iterature of acute confusional states in cancer patients is presented.