Having depression before or after a breast cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower chance of survival, according to a study published in the journal Cancer of the American Cancer Society. For the study, researchers led by he dr bin huangfrom the University of Kentucky (USA), analyzed data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry to identify adult women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer primary school between 2007 and 2011.
Using data from the cancer registry linked to health claims, the team classified the patients into different categories: not diagnosed with depression, diagnosed with depression only before the cancer diagnosis, diagnosed with depression only after the cancer diagnosis, or with persistent depression, defined as depression before and after cancer diagnosis.
The team also assessed whether the patients had received the therapy recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network breast cancer treatment guidelines. Of the 6,054 patients, 4.1%, 3.7% and 6.2% they had persistent depression, depression only before diagnosis, and depression only after diagnosis, respectively.
Analyzes indicated that 29.2% of patients did not receive guideline-recommended breast cancer treatment. In addition, during a mean follow-up of 4 years, 26.3% of the patients died.
Compared with people without depression, those with persistent or postdiagnosis depression were similarly likely to receive guideline-recommended treatment, but those with prediagnosis depression were only 25% less likely to receive guideline-consistent care. guidelines, although this finding was marginally significant.
Prediagnosis depression alone and postdiagnosis depression alone (but not persistent depression) were associated with poorer survival compared to no depression. Specifically, pre-diagnosis depression was associated with a 26% increased risk of death, and post-diagnosis depression was associated with a 50% increased risk. In addition, patients who did not receive guideline-recommended treatment faced a 118% higher risk of death than those who received recommended care. The findings suggest that diagnosing and treating depression at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and beyond can be critical to patient care and survival.
“An important aspect of this study was that patients with persistent depression did not experience worse survival compared with patients without depression,” according to Dr. Huang. “Since underdiagnosis and undertreatment of depression are common among cancer patients, persistent depression could be an indication that the patients’ depression may have been well managed, in this regard.”
Hence, the researcher stresses the importance of detection and management of depression throughout the care of a patient with cancer.”More rigorous studies are needed on the management of depression in cancer care centers and in patient populations. Subsequently, the results of these research studies may shape policies and guidelines for the management of depression in the care of these conditions,” concluded Dr. Huang.
Keywords: depression, cancer, diagnosis
Short url of this page:
