DEPRESSION IN RADIATION ONCOLOGY PATIENTS - A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

Background: Some, but not all, patients undergoing radiation therapy f or cancer experience depression. Recognition of depression in these pa tients is complicated by the effects of cancer, chemotherapy and radia tion. Methods: Total scores of the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Sym ptomatology-Self Report (IDS-SR) were used to divide 52 consecutive ra diation oncology outpatients into those with depressive symptoms (n = 16) and those without (n = 36). These 2 groups were compared to find w hich depressive symptoms occurred and what risk factors were associate d with them. Results: Cognitive and endogenous, but not vegetative, sy mptoms of depression were helpful in distinguishing the 2 groups. A pe rsonal or family history of treated depression-but not the number of r adiation treatments received-was also predictive of those with depress ive symptoms. Limitations: The patient population studied was small an d diverse. Self-reports scores, rather than structured psychiatric int erviews, were used to define clinically significant depression. Conclu sions: Depressive symptoms are not inevitable with cancer. Patient rep orts of thoughts of death or suicide, feeling restless, or diminished mood response to good events should prompt a more thorough evaluation for depression. A personal or family history of treated depression app ears to be associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.