Extending Life By Tackling Depression In Cancer Patients

Main Category: Depression
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Seniors / Aging;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 11 Apr 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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A study recommended by David Spiegel of Faculty of 1000 Medicine (http://www.f1000medicine.com/), looks at the relationship between depression care management and survival rates in older patients. He identifies it as "an important and well-conducted study of the effects of treatment of depression on survival in a primary care setting"

A leading authority on mind-body interactions and professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University, Spiegel evaluates the research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, stressing the finding that "Comorbid depression shortens survival time with cancer, and intervention with medication and psychotherapy can therefore extend survival among cancer patients."

The better survival rates were not seen in patients with depression and cardiovascular disease, only in those with cancer. Spiegel notes that this "is surprising given the well-known link between depression and poor cardiovascular disease outcome".

He concludes, "Vigorous diagnosis and treatment programs for comorbid depression in cancer patients should, based on this study, extend survival time."

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1 Dr. David Spiegel, Faculty Member for F1000 Medicine Psychiatry Specialty, is a global authority on mind-body interactions and professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University

2 The effect of a primary care practice-based depression intervention on mortality in older adults: a randomized trial.
Gallo JJ, Bogner HR, Morales KH, Post EP, Lin JY, Bruce ML
Ann Intern Med 2007 May 15 146(10):689-98 http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/146/10/689.pdf

3 Faculty of 1000 Medicine's evaluation of this article is available at http://www.f1000medicine.com/article/zckntxms4rbt1bm/id/1103568

4 Faculty of 1000 Medicine, http://www.f1000medicine.com/, is a unique online service that helps clinicians and researchers stay informed of high impact articles and access the opinions of global leaders in medicine. A distinguished international faculty select and evaluate key articles across medicine, providing a rapidly updated, authoritative guide to the medical literature that matters.

Source: Jemima Tonks
BioMed Central

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