Depression Among Patients With Laryngeal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychiatry
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Laryngeal cancer treatment frequently causes speech and swallowing issues, potentially leading to depression.
• Depression can negatively impact treatment outcomes and patient survivorship in laryngeal cancer survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of depression in laryngeal cancer patients.
• To identify risk factors associated with depression in this population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ICD-10 codes from the TriNetX Research Network to identify 93,018 laryngeal cancer patients.
• Stratified patients by treatment type, age, socioeconomic status (SES), and post-treatment side effects.
• Analyzed the impact of these factors on depression development, controlling for cancer stage.

Main Results:

• Laryngeal cancer patients showed a 15% higher risk of depression compared to the general head and neck cancer population.
• Younger patients (<70 years), those with SES risk factors (2.67x risk), and those undergoing surgery (1.54x risk) had significantly higher depression risks.
• Long-term complications like dysphagia and xerostomia increased depression risk by 7.62% (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Laryngeal cancer patients experience a notably high risk of post-treatment depression.
• Further research into screening and supportive care is crucial for improving mental health outcomes.