Introduction. Breast and colorectal cancer are often the cause of depressive disorders and anxiety. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that as the level of illness acceptance increases, the level of anxiety and depression decreases.

Patients and methods. The study involved 40 women aged 21–74 years, diagnosed with breast cancer and 40 men aged 22–85 years, diagnosed with colorectal cancer . In the study, Beck Depression Inventory, Acceptance of Illness Scale, mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) Scale and a questionnaire (respondent’s particulars of own authorship) were used.

Results. Among men, the level of illness acceptance was low in 52.5%, medium in 20%, high in 27.5% of patients, whereas among women – 85%, 10% and 5% respectively. In the group of men, depression was not found in 40%, mild depression in 15%, moderate depression in 25% and severe depression in 20% of patients, the mean value of the level of depression was 16.7 ± 11.2; among women — 2.5%, 2.5%, 5% and 90% of respondents respectively, the mean value was 34.4 ± 7.8. Among men, the mean values of anxiety absorption were 18.13 ± 5.69, helplessness/hopelessness — 16.95 ± 6.03, destructive style — 35.08 ± 11.53, whereas the mean values among women were 26 ± 3,02, 22,6 ± 2,28 and 48,63 ± 5,13 respectively. Significant negative correlations between the degree of illness acceptance and depression/ anxiety were shown, with absolute values of correlation coefficients being higher in women.

Conclusions. Women diagnosed with breast cancer show the low level of illness acceptance, high level of anxiety and often suffer from depression, while men diagnosed with colorectal cancer show the average level of illness acceptance and anxiety as well as less often suffer from depression.