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Cancers
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Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients
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Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Survivorship and Quality of Life".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 April 2025) | Viewed by 8656

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wen-Yu Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
Interests: oncology nursing; palliative care nursing; chronic disease nursing; health behavior research
Dr. Yun-Chen Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, Graduate Institute of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan
Interests: oncology psychology; oncology care; mind-body therapy; stress neuroendocrine response; interventional research; systematic review; meta-analysis
Dr. Elsa Vitale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IRCCS Istituto Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
Interests: oncology psychology; oncology care; mind-body well-being; stress neuroendocrine linkage; interventional research; systematic review; meta-analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleauges,

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive update on the topic of depression among cancer patients. It seeks to explore the latest research, advancements, and insights into understanding and managing depression in individuals diagnosed with cancer. By bringing together experts and researchers in the field, this Special Issue aims to shed light on the complex relationship between cancer and depression, contributing to improved patient care and mental health outcomes.

The scope of this Special Issue encompasses a broad range of topics related to depression among cancer patients, including but not limited to:

  1. Prevalence and risk factors of depression in cancer patients;
  2. Impact of depression on cancer prognosis and treatment outcomes;
  3. Psychological interventions and psychotherapy for managing depression in cancer patients;
  4. Pharmacological approaches and novel treatments for depression in cancer care;
  5. Role of social support and psychosocial interventions in alleviating depression symptoms;
  6. Comorbidity of depression and anxiety in cancer patients;
  7. Impact of depression on quality of life and survivorship in cancer patients;
  8. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying depression in cancer.

We look forward to your valuable contributions and collective efforts in advancing the knowledge and care for depression among cancer patients.

Prof. Dr. Wen-Yu Hu
Dr. Yun-Chen Chang
Dr. Elsa Vitale
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • depression
  • cancer patients
  • mental health
  • psycho-oncology
  • treatment
  • psychosocial interventions
  • survivorship
  • comorbidity
  • quality of life
  • neurobiology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 259 KiB  
Article
High Frequency of Depression in Advanced Cancer with Concomitant Comorbidities: A Registry Study
by Peter Strang and Torbjörn Schultz
Cancers 2025, 17(7), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17071214 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 468
Abstract
Background/objectives: Depression is a common complication of cancer and is associated with distress and reduced participation in medical care. The prevalence is still uncertain in advanced cancer due to methodological problems. Our aim was to study depression in the last year of life [...] Read more.
Background/objectives: Depression is a common complication of cancer and is associated with distress and reduced participation in medical care. The prevalence is still uncertain in advanced cancer due to methodological problems. Our aim was to study depression in the last year of life and related variables. Methods: We used an administrative database and analyzed clinically verified diagnoses of depression during the last year of life for 27,343 persons (nursing home residents excluded) and related the data to age, sex, socioeconomic status on an area level (Mosaic system), and frailty risk as calculated by the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS). T-tests, chi-2 tests, and binary logistic regression models were used. Results: During the last year of life, a clinical diagnosis of depression was found in 1168/27,343 (4.3%) cases and more frequently seen in women (4.8% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.001), in the elderly aged 80 years or more, p = 0.03, and especially in persons with a frailty risk according to the HFRS, with rates of 3.3%, 5.3% and 7.8% in the low-risk, intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively (p < 0.001), whereas no differences were found based on socioeconomic status. In a multiple logistic regression model, being female (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.16–1.46) or having an intermediate (1.66, 1.46–1.88) or high frailty risk (2.57, 2.10–3.14) retained the predictive value (p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Depression is more common in women and, above all, in people with multimorbidity. Depression affects the amount of health care needed, including the need for psychiatric care. Therefore, it should be included in clinical decision-making, especially as depression is associated with poorer prognosis in cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients)
11 pages, 534 KiB  
Article
Individual and Joint Associations of Cancer Diagnosis and Handgrip Strength with Depression in European Middle-Aged and Older Adults
by Carlos Vasconcelos, Miguel Peralta and Adilson Marques
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050754 - 23 Feb 2025
Viewed by 441
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Depression is influenced by a multitude of interconnected factors, including cancer and handgrip strength. The purpose of our study is to examine how handgrip strength and cancer diagnosis are individually and jointly associated with depression. Methods: An observational study was employed using [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Depression is influenced by a multitude of interconnected factors, including cancer and handgrip strength. The purpose of our study is to examine how handgrip strength and cancer diagnosis are individually and jointly associated with depression. Methods: An observational study was employed using secondary data from the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe waves 7 and 8. The sample comprised 7 641 participants (71.1 ± 7.7 years), from 12 European countries. Results: Having a cancer diagnosis was associated with greater odds of depression (depression 2017 model: OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.75; depression 2019 model: OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.95). Being in a higher handgrip tertile was associated with lower odds of depression (depression 2017 model: tertile 2, OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.56, 0.74 and tertile 3, OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.49, 0.65; depression 2019 model: tertile 2, OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.64, 0.86 and tertile 3, OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65, 0.88). The greatest reduction in odds for depression was found for participants without cancer and in the third handgrip strength tertile (depression 2017: OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.61; depression 2019: OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.28, 0.58). Conclusions: Both cancer and handgrip strength were associated with depression, with the first increasing its risk and the latter reducing it. Individuals without cancer and in the highest tertile of handgrip strength have lower odds of depression in both analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients)
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12 pages, 300 KiB  
Article
Differences in the Communication of Cancer Diagnoses by Different Health Professionals and the Impact of Oncologist Communication on Patients’ Emotions
by Elena Ruiz Sancho, Miguel Ángel Pérez Nieto, Francisco J. Román, Leticia León Mateos, Francisco Sánchez Escamilla, Santos Enrech Francés, María Ángeles Pérez Escutia, Ignacio Juez Mertel, Pedro Pérez-Segura, Andrea Aguirre Herrero and Marta Redondo Delgado
Cancers 2024, 16(13), 2444; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132444 - 3 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1471
Abstract
The field of healthcare is increasingly adopting a humanistic perspective in the physician–patient relationship. One of the more salient aspects being studied is the communication between the two. This study serves a dual purpose. Our initial aim was to study how a cancer [...] Read more.
The field of healthcare is increasingly adopting a humanistic perspective in the physician–patient relationship. One of the more salient aspects being studied is the communication between the two. This study serves a dual purpose. Our initial aim was to study how a cancer diagnosis is disclosed to patients by different physicians (GPs/other specialists/oncologists). Secondly, we set out to study how the way in which oncologists normally communicate with their patients impacts variables such as a patient’s anxiety, depression, coping mechanisms, and perception of both their health and their quality of life. A total of 177 patients answered a battery of questionnaires on sociodemographic and disease data: the SPIKES protocol, the EORTCQLQ-COMU26, and the ADAF screening questionnaire. The analyses recorded medium or high scores for some of the steps in the SPIKES protocol when delivering the diagnosis, and significant differences were observed for some of them among different physicians. The level of a cancer patient’s satisfaction with the communication by oncologists was related to their levels of anxiety, depression, vulnerability, and perception of their health and quality of life. Better communication strategies are called for among all healthcare professionals to facilitate the task of breaking bad news to their patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients)

Review

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16 pages, 623 KiB  
Review
Review of Psilocybin Use for Depression among Cancer Patients after Approval in Oregon
by Val Bellman
Cancers 2024, 16(9), 1702; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16091702 - 27 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3280
Abstract
Despite the legalization of psilocybin therapy for depression in terminal illnesses such as advanced cancer through Oregon’s Measure 109 in 2020, significant challenges have impeded its implementation. This review synthesizes the empirical data supporting the utilization of psilocybin therapy for addressing cancer-related depression, [...] Read more.
Despite the legalization of psilocybin therapy for depression in terminal illnesses such as advanced cancer through Oregon’s Measure 109 in 2020, significant challenges have impeded its implementation. This review synthesizes the empirical data supporting the utilization of psilocybin therapy for addressing cancer-related depression, including an evaluation of its purported benefits and potential adverse effects. It provides a comprehensive examination of therapeutic strategies, dosing regimens, and barriers to ensuring responsible and equitable access. Salient issues explored include the development of ethical protocols, integration within healthcare systems, ensuring statewide availability, resolving legal ambiguities, and defining clinical standards. Oregon’s pioneering role serves as a case study, highlighting the necessity of addressing regulatory, logistical, and ethical obstacles to ensure the establishment of rigorous and equitable psilocybin care models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients)
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Other

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15 pages, 1635 KiB  
Systematic Review
Sex Differences in Anxiety and Depression Conditions among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Elsa Vitale, Kurvatteppa Halemani, Asha Shetty, Yun-Chen Chang, Wen-Yu Hu, Raffaella Massafra and Annamaria Moretti
Cancers 2024, 16(11), 1969; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16111969 - 22 May 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2015
Abstract
(1) Background: Evidence suggested inconsistent results in anxiety and depression scores among female and male cancer patients. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess how anxiety and depression conditions among cancer patients vary according to sex. (2) Methods: This systematic review [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Evidence suggested inconsistent results in anxiety and depression scores among female and male cancer patients. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess how anxiety and depression conditions among cancer patients vary according to sex. (2) Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with id no. CRD42024512553. The search strategy involved combining keywords using Boolean operators, including “Anxiety”, “Cancer”, and “Depression”, across several databases: Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The outcomes were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). (3) Results: Data were collected from five studies, enrolling a total of 6317 cancer patients, of whom 2961 were females and 3356 males. For each study, HADS-A and HADS-D scores were considered, also differentiating HADS scores according to cancer typology, and then three different meta-analyses were performed. Generally, females reported significantly higher levels of depression scores than males and, conversely, males reported significantly greater levels of anxiety than females. (4) Conclusions: Previous studies suggested higher rates of depression and anxiety conditions in females than in males, but the present data highlighted controversial findings, since males reported significantly higher levels of anxiety than females. In this scenario, the theoretical approach justified females being more open than males to expressing anxiety or depression conditions. It would be necessary for healthcare professionals to improve effective measures purposed at assessing and mitigating depressive symptoms in cases of advanced cancer, thereby improving their mental health, given the high rates of depression in advanced cancer patients, due to the difficulty level of performing their daily living activities, which deteriorate further over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Updates on Depression among Cancer Patients)
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