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Depression and cancer mortality: a meta-analysis.
1Department of Psychology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany. pinquart@staff.uni-marburg.de
Psychological Medicine
|January 21, 2010
Summary
Depression in cancer patients is linked to higher mortality. This association remains significant regardless of when depression is assessed or other medical factors, highlighting the need for routine screening.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Depression is a common comorbidity in cancer patients.
- The relationship between depression and cancer patient mortality requires further investigation.
- Understanding how study characteristics influence this association is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the association between depression and mortality in cancer patients.
- To determine if this association varies based on specific study characteristics.
- To synthesize existing evidence through meta-analysis.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was conducted.
- Data from 105 samples across 76 prospective studies were integrated.
- Study characteristics were analyzed to identify potential moderators.
Main Results:
- Depression diagnosis and depressive symptoms significantly predicted elevated cancer patient mortality.
- The association persisted regardless of the timing of depression assessment (pre- or post-cancer diagnosis) and after controlling for medical confounders.
- The depression-mortality link was weaker in studies with longer assessment intervals, younger samples, and those using the Beck Depression Inventory.
Conclusions:
- Routine depression screening is recommended in cancer care settings.
- Referrals to mental health specialists should be considered for depressed cancer patients.
- Further research is needed to explore if depression treatment can improve survival in this population.
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