Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of patient sample (N = 4918) and comparison of patients with malignant neoplasms (A), benign neoplasms (B), and without neoplasms (C); n (%), mean [SD]
|  | A. Malignant neoplasms n = 945 | B. Benign neoplasms n = 333 | C. Without neoplasms n = 3640 | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (Years) | 55.49 [14.08] | 44.53 [12.30] | 44.57 [15.64] | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C = 0.952 |
Men | 553 (58.50) | 86 (25.80) | 1905 (52.30) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C = 0.001; B-C < 0.001 |
Sense of Coherence (BASOC) b | 12.31 [2.59] | 12.02 [2.62] | 12.18 [2.57] | A-B-C = 0.176; A-B = 0.084; A-C = 0.170; B-C = 0.283 |
Mental wellbeing (WHO-5) a | 59.26 [24.05] | 56.89 [22.67] | 57.31 [22.87] | A-B-C = 0.058; A-B = 0.117; A-C = 0.026; B-C = 0.746 |
Clinically significant depression a | 307 (32.50) | 120 (36.00) | 1266 (34.80) | A-B-C = 0.340; A-B = 0.238; A-C = 0.186; B-C = 0.645 |
Perceived hospital and surgery related stress c | 4.99 [2.93] | 5.02 [3.03] | 4.19 [2.86] | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B = 0.873; A-C < 0.001; B-C < 0.001 |
Elevated perceived hospital and surgery related stress c | 517 (54.7) | 183 (55.0) | 1529 (42.0) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B = 0.938; A-C < 0.001; B-C < 0.001 |
Length of hospital stay (days) | 6.99 [8.63] | 3.91 [3.65] | 4.10 [5.77] | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C = 0.559 |
Physical health (ASA Classification) d | ||||
 ASA I, II | 733 (77.60) | 302 (90.7) | 3206 (88.10) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C = 0.156 |
 ASA III, IV | 212 (22.40) | 31 (9.3) | 434 (11.90) | |
Surgical field | ||||
 Neuro-, head and neck surgery | 126 (13.30) | 92 (27.60) | 1155 (31.70) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C < 0.001 |
 Abdomino-thoracic surgery | 726 (76.80) | 194 (58.30) | 935 (25.70) | |
 Peripheral surgery | 93 (9.80) | 47 (14.10) | 1550 (42.60) | |
Site of tumor | ||||
 Head and neck | 85 (9.00) | 61 (18.30) |  | A-B < 0.001 |
 Breast | 87 (9.20) | 9 (2.70) |  | |
 Female genital organs | 171 (18.10) | 152 (45.80) |  | |
 Skin | 80 (8.50) | 32 (9.60) |  | |
 Lung | 7 (0.70) | 0 (0) | – | |
 Prostate | 234 (24.80) | 0 (0) |  | |
 Urinary system | 97 (10.30) | 13 (3.90) |  | |
 Bowel | 28 (3.00) | 1 (0.30) |  | |
 Nervous system | 24 (2.50) | 18 (5.40) |  | |
 Pancreas | 12 (1.30) | 1 (0.30) |  | |
 Hepatobiliary system | 22 (2.30) | 2 (0.60) |  | |
 Stomach / esophagus | 18 (1.90) | 1 (0.30) |  | |
 Lymphatic system | 14 (1.50) | 0 (0) |  | |
 Other | 66 (7.00) | 43 (12.90) |  | |
Medical comorbidity (CCI) e | ||||
 0 ‘None’ | 93 (9.8) | 277 (83.2) | 2952 (81.1) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C = 0.763 |
 1 ‘Low’ | 384 (40.60) | 44 (13.20) | 548 (15.10) | |
 2 ‘Moderate’ | 216 (22.90) | 8 (2.40) | 103 (2.80) | |
 3 ‘High’ | 252 (26.70) | 4 (1.20) | 37 (1.00) | |
Extent of surgical procedure (POSSUM operative severity) f | ||||
 1 ‘Minor’ | 256 (27.10) | 131 (39.3) | 1467 (40.30) | A-B-C < 0.001; A-B < 0.001; A-C < 0.001; B-C = 0.001 |
 2 ‘Moderate’ | 413 (43.70) | 86 (25.80) | 1112 (30.50) | |
 4 ‘Major’ | 145 (15.30) | 106 (31.80) | 845 (23.20) | |
 8 ‘Major +’ | 131 (13.90) | 10 (3.00) | 216 (5.90) | |