ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR EXPRESSION AND DEPRESSIVE MOOD DISORDERS IN UNTREATED BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS

Women newly admitted to hospital for suspect breast lump (99) were bli nd studied 5+/-3 days before diagnosis. Depression was evaluated by us ing DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria and MMPI psychometric test; estrogen receptor (ER) by DCC. High prevalence of depressive mood disorders an d particularly of dysthymia were observed in patients with ER(-) tumor s (p=0.03), that scored low in MMPI 9-Ma scale (p<0.001) and high in T A index (p=0.01) as expression of depressed mood. On the contrary ER() patients showed higher mean values in almost all the MMPI scales and indexes (AV p<0.01; AS p<0.03). In conclusion depressive mood have di fferent prevalence in untreated breast cancer patients depending on ER status.