Can depressive symptoms influence your devotion to your breast cancer treatment?

The authors aimed to determine whether there was a link between depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer and their likelihood to adhere to or continue with their chosen treatment.

Depression or depressive symptoms affect approximately 6% of the world’s population. It is known that 20% of those with breast cancer suffer from significant depression. This condition can have impacting effects on a patient’s outcome, particularly in relation to the completion of treatment.

Previous studies have reported significant increases in the risk of death due to cancer as a result of depressive symptoms. This is thought to be through its effect on a patient’s adherence to their course of treatment.

The aim of this study was to determine the link, if any, between depressive symptoms in a patient with breast cancer and their adherence to treatment.

This study reviewed 9 studies involviing 17,735 women with breast cancer. The women were evaluated over the first 18 months of their designated treatment. The treatments included hormone therapy and other classes of anti-cancer drugs.

Overall, results showed a significant relationship between those who had greater depressive symptoms and a lack of adherence to their treatment. Depressed patients were 89% more likely to discontinue treatment compared to non-depressed patients. The discontinuation of their treatment increased their risk of both cancer recurrence (the cancer returns) and death.

Younger patients (under age 65) were at a higher risk of treatment discontinuation due to depression.

The authors concluded that patients with depressive symptoms were less likely to adhere to their treatments and therefore expose themselves to an increased risk of cancer recurrence.

This study was devoted to the prediction of treatment adherence as opposed to actual depressive symptom effects on treatment.

If you have previously dealt with depression or depressive symptoms, you should discuss it with your doctor as you may benefit from psychological intervention before you commence breast cancer treatment.