Introduction: Anxiety and depression, as common psychological disturbances among patients with breast cancer, might negatively influence their quality of life. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between optimism and hope on one hand and anxiety and depression on the other hand among these patients.

Methods: In the present correlational study, 97 patients with breast cancer referring to Seyyedoshohada Hospital, Isfahan, were randomly selected through convenience sampling. The participants filled out Life Orientation Test (LOT), Snyder Adult Hope Scale, and Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale. Pearson product-moment correlation and independent samples t-test were run in SPSS (version 22) to analyze the data.

Results: The mean of depression, anxiety, hope and optimism were 8.31 ± 4.74, 10.21 ± 4.79, 20.15 ± 4.5 and 20.31 ± 4.30, respectively. The total score of anxiety and depression was 18.53 ± 9.02. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated a statistically significant inverse relationship in hope with depression (r = -57, P < 0.01) as well with anxiety (r = -62, P < 0.01). Likewise, there was a statistically significant inverse relationship in optimism with depression (r = -34, P < 0.01) as well as with anxiety (r = -44, P < 0.01), indicating that the more hope and optimism the patients had, the less anxiety and depression they suffered.

Conclusions: Patients who consider cancer as a serious threat suffer from more anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is highly suggested that along with conventional treatments, positive psychological elements such as hope and optimism be paid more attention, since they are important interceptors against anxiety and depression; also, necessary interventions be made to enhance hope and optimism among patients with breast cancer.