Challenge of Depression in Patients Suffering from Cancer and its Management

Author: Dhingra P., Khanduri P. and Singh S.

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Abstract

Diagnosis of cancer in patients impact their lives in many ways, from the way of their thinking to the way of their living, it almost changes everything. Despite from the disease (cancer) deteriorating their physical health, the mental trauma that the patient gets, also become a part of it, as this diagnosis not just diagnose cancer in the patients, but also make patients depressed, anxious and worried about this. Psychiatric disorders like delirium, depression, anxiety etc. are found comparatively higher among those patients suffering from advance stages cancer, when compared to those suffering from early cancer stages. Factors like lifestyle issues, substance use, or past history/family history of any kind of depression, increases the risk of developing depression in cancer patients, which contributes in increased rate of mortality in them. This depression can also be associated with levels of pain or type of medical treatment that the patient is getting for cancer. Antidepressant treatment drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and methylphenidate have been found helpful in improvement of depression in patients of cancer when given as adjuvant treatments. Selection of appropriate antidepressant treatment is also suggested due to drug interaction that can be caused with chemotherapeutic drugs and interfere with the chemotherapy. The main challenge is to diagnose the severity of depression in severely depressed patients, due to which underestimation of the disease symptoms may result in poor treatment of the patients.

Keywords

Psychiatric disorders, chemotherapy, malignant, depression, psychoeducation

Conclusion

It is evident that depression is very common in cancer patients, which causes anxiety, demotivate patient, cause sadness, develops suicidal thoughts (in severe cases), and may also contribute in cancer progression or morbidity. There are some non-pharmacological methods that can be implemented for cancer patients suffering from mild depression, however, should not be relied upon for moderate to severe cases of depression in patients suffering from cancer. Antidepressant provides hope for patient to cope up with depression. It is also evident that antidepressant are also effective for depression in cancer patients who are suffering from depressive symptoms. However, there is no strong evidence that this adjuvant treatment with antidepressants increases the survival time of cancer patients, but antidepressants when used as adjuvant treatments, can definitely help in achieving a better quality of life in cancer patients.

References

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How to cite this article

Dhingra P., Khanduri P. and Singh S. (2023). Challenge of Depression in Patients Suffering from Cancer and its Management. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(5): 1218-1221.