The researchers found that symptoms of depression were the most consistent psychological predictor of shortened survival in cancer patients.

Dr Kirk Warren Brown, from the University of Rochester in New York, and colleagues used a number of factors to predict longevity in a group of 205 cancer patients over a 10-year period.

All the patients were newly diagnosed with cancer, with almost half of them suffering from breast cancer.

At the end of the follow-up period, 125 were still alive and 80 had died from cancer-related causes.

The team looked at various indicators of emotional state and coping, including positive and negative mood, anxiety, stress, sense of control and depressive symptoms.

After accounting for the effects of known demographic, medical risk and cancer treatment factors, the researchers found that symptoms of depression were the most consistent psychological predictor of shortened survival.

“The fact that depressive symptoms were shown to affect the course of cancer in this study has important implications for psychological screening and treatment of cancer patients,” says Dr Brown.

The researchers suggest that the first year after cancer diagnosis would be an appropriate time to screen for symptoms of depression because, on average, distress levels among the patients they looked at remained stable.

Referrals for intervention, such as psychotherapy, may be appropriate for patients with elevated levels of distress, they suggest.


Source: Psychosomatic Medicine

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