Skip Navigation

JNCI Monographs 2004 2004(32):80-92; doi:10.1093/jncimonographs/lgh013
© 2004 by Oxford University Press
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Trask, P. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Trask, P. C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

2004 © Oxford University Press

ARTICLE

Assessment of Depression in Cancer Patients

Peter C. Trask

Correspondence to: Peter C. Trask, PhD, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Coro Building, Ste. 500, 1 Hoppin St., Providence, RI 02903 (e-mail: peter_trask{at}brown.edu)

It is widely known that depression exists in patients with cancer. The prevalence, however, varies widely by study and is often attributable to differences in assessment procedures. Attempts to identify accurate methods of assessing depression in cancer patients have employed different diagnostic approaches, assessment methods (e.g., self-report versus interview), and inclusion criteria. Unfortunately, all of these variables affect conclusions that can be drawn regarding the presence of depression in cancer patients. Other variables that can further affect the assessment of depression in cancer patients include individual differences such as the patient’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, hospitalization status, and type and stage of cancer. Finally, the specific assessor and the timing of the assessment also likely affect conclusions about depression in cancer patients. This review was designed to succinctly address all of the above issues and identify several areas for future research, including refining diagnostic criteria for depression in cancer patients; creating cancer-specific depression measures with appropriate cutoffs; focusing on the issues of age, race, ethnicity, subculture, and type and stage of cancer in creating depression assessment tools; and exploring the issues of clinical versus subclinical depression, who and when to assess, and timely and cost-effective ways to assess.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am J Crit CareHome page
L. Sarna, M. E. Cooley, J. K. Brown, C. Chernecky, D. Elashoff, and J. Kotlerman
Symptom Severity 1 to 4 Months After Thoracotomy for Lung Cancer
Am. J. Crit. Care., September 1, 2008; 17(5): 455 - 467.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PsychosomaticsHome page
M. R. Levy
Cancer Fatigue: A Neurobiological Review for Psychiatrists
Psychosomatics, July 1, 2008; 49(4): 283 - 291.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JCOHome page
A. J. Mitchell
Pooled Results From 38 Analyses of the Accuracy of Distress Thermometer and Other Ultra-Short Methods of Detecting Cancer-Related Mood Disorders
J. Clin. Oncol., October 10, 2007; 25(29): 4670 - 4681.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.