title: Depression in women treated for gynecological cancer: clinical and neuroendocrine assessment.
abstract: To determine the prevalence of major depression in cancer patients and assess the usefulness of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test for diagnosing major depression in these patients, the authors studied 83 women hospitalized for gynecological cancer. Nineteen (23%) had major depression according to DSM-III criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of the DST were 40% and 88%, respectively. No relationship between DST and TRH test results was found. These findings indicate a high prevalence of depression in cancer patients, but further research on these tests in cancer patients is needed; their routine use with cancer patients is premature at this time.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: McCartney
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raft
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quade
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Haggerty
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Droba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
chemical_list: D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone