Context: observational studies in North America suggest alcohol dependence is a common problem in advanced cancer patients and is associated with a high burden of physical and psychological symptoms. The prevalence of all types of alcohol use disorders, and the relationship between alcohol use disorders and symptoms, has not been studied.
Objectives: this observational, cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in patients with advanced cancer and establish if such patients have a higher symptom burden.
Methods: sequential patients referred to the palliative medicine team at a United Kingdom cancer centre completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF).
Results: 120 patients participated in the study. Twenty-two (18%) patients screened positively for the presence of an alcohol use disorder. This study found no significant association between alcohol use disorders and the presence of anxiety (P = 0.38) or depression (P = 0.81) on the HADS or the global distress index subscale (P = 0.142), physical symptom distress index subscale (P = 0.734), or the psychological distress index subscale (P = 0.154) on the MSAS-SF. Current smoking status was the only independent predictor for the presence of an alcohol use disorder (P < 0.001). Seven (6%) patients screened positively for high-risk alcohol use disorders. Current smoking status (P < 0.001) and male gender (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of this problem.
Conclusions: alcohol use disorders in this cohort of patients were not associated with a higher symptom burden, and the prevalence was lower than the general United Kingdom population.