Relationship between depression and pancreatic cancer in the general population.
OBJECTIVE
Prior research suggesting a relationship between pancreatic cancer and depression conducted on clinical populations has been subject to recall bias. We reexamined this association using longitudinal population-based data.


METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study using longitudinal insurance claims data.


RESULTS
Men with mental disorders were more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those without psychiatric claims (odds ratio 2.4, confidence interval 1.15-4.78). Depression more commonly preceded pancreatic cancer than it did other gastrointestinal malignancies (odds ratio 4.6, confidence interval 1.07-19.4) or all other cancers (odds ratio 4.1, confidence interval 1.05-16.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Depression and pancreatic cancer are associated in the general population.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013023:South Dakota / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors