Objective To evaluate the scales of psychological distress and pain in patients with advanced cancer and the impact of pain on the anxiety and depression.Methods Seventy-four patients with advanced cancer were observed.The hospital anxiety and depression(HAD)scale and the brief pain inventory(BPI)were completed either by patients or under the assistance of the investigator.Results HAD-A(anxiety)and HAD-D(depression)scores were(7.68±4.09)and(7.19±3.38),respectively.Significant correlations were found between pain severity and HAD-A or HAD-D(P＜0.001)by univariate correlation analysis.Furthermore,significant associations were shown between HAD-A and six"pain interference in the patients'functional ability"items(P＜0.001),and between HAD-D and pain interference to"mood"or"relations with other people"(P＜0.01).Conclusions Quantitative analysis of psychological distress have shown that patients with advanced cancer are doubtful cases for both anxiety and depression and need psychological management.Anxiety and depression is not only associated with pain intensity directly,but also with pain interference in the patients'functional ability indirectly.