Perioperative Depressive Symptoms in Surgical Cancer Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychiatry
• Surgical Care

Background:

• Patients with cancer undergoing surgery face elevated risks of depressive symptoms.
• The perioperative prevalence and severity of these symptoms are not well understood.
• This systematic review addresses the gap in characterizing depression in surgical cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the perioperative prevalence and severity of clinically significant depression in patients with cancer.
• To identify factors influencing depression rates during the perioperative period.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines was performed.
• Searches were conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases up to December 15, 2023.
• Included studies measured depressive symptoms using self-reported tools in surgical cancer patients.

Main Results:

• Data from 526 studies (103,075 patients) were analyzed, with breast, colorectal, and head and neck cancers being most common.
• An average of 24% of patients reported clinically significant depressive symptoms, with higher prevalence preoperatively.
• Depression prevalence shifted to be higher postoperatively for some solid tumors compared to breast or prostate cancer.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion (24%) of surgical cancer patients experience clinically significant depressive symptoms perioperatively.
• The preoperative period poses the greatest risk, extending into the immediate postoperative phase.
• Findings can guide the timing of mental health screenings, considering specific cancer types.