Summary
Guidelines for diagnostic and therapy of depressive disorder in oncology and palliative
medicine are pivotal for an optimal care of cancer patients. This psychiatric comorbidity
influences quality of life, treatment compliance, health-care costs and perhaps even
mortality. Recent developments in neuroimaging and molecular biology allow a new framework
of understanding of the pathophysiology of depression in cancer patients. Beside their
well-known efficacy against depression and anxiety new antidepressants are also beneficial
in the treatment of fatigue, anorexia, cachexia, hot flashes and neuropathic pain.
Psychosocial interventions improve well-being, quality of live and depressive symptoms,
however survival rates remain unaffected. This manuscript reviews the pharmacological
treatment of depression in cancer patients and provides an overview of new neuroimmunological
research pertinent to the increased incidence of depression in oncological patients.
Keywords
Antidepressant drugs - cancer - depression