Abstract
In this study, emotional distress was shown to be significantly related to demographic factors, including cancer stage, disease characteristics, and treatment phase. Thus, health care professionals should be particularly concerned when patients with cancer are in stage IV, diagnosed with recurrence, or undergoing chemotherapy. Health care professionals should regularly employ brief and highly reliable questionnaires to help evaluate the emotional distress of patients with cancer. Regular evaluation can facilitate the early detection of emotional distress, psychological problems, and psychiatric disorders such as low dignity, demoralization, depression, and suicidal ideation in these patients.