Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology
Published on: May 22, 2026
Depression and cancer: recent data on clinical issues, research challenges and treatment approaches
1Centre Oscar Lambret, Psycho-oncology team, Lille, France. m-reich@o-lambret.fr
Purpose Of Review:
Clinical guidelines for depression screening, assessment and management in the oncologic field and palliative care are becoming paramount in routine cancer care. This psychiatric comorbidity has several impacts on quality of life, anticancer treatment compliance, hospital stay duration, health-care costs, morbidity and possibly mortality even if discordant reports exist.
Recent Findings:
Recent development of brain imaging techniques (MRI, positron emission tomography), neurobiological and genetic tools allow new understanding of the pathophysiology process of depressive disorders in cancer populations besides the usual endocrinologic and psychoneuroimmunologic hypothesis. Broader indications besides depressive or anxiety disorders appear or must be investigated for the new generation of antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, noradrenergic specific serotonergic antidepressants) in oncology, such as hot flashes, neuropathic pain, fatigue, anorexia/cachexia. Psychosocial interventions seem to have a slight impact on well-being, quality of life and depressive symptomatology but not on survival.
Summary:
The present article reviews recent literature on depression and cancer and highlights practical assessment and detection of depression, biological and physiopathological correlates and its pharmacologic and psychosocial treatment. Implementation of these several techniques must be supported by ongoing research about the complex relation between depressive disorders and generally mental health and oncology.
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Treatment Resistent Cancers
Cancer Survival Analysis
Treatment Resistant Cancers
Depression: Overview