Depressive symptoms during and after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.
BACKGROUND
Patients with head and neck cancer are extraordinarily susceptible to depressive traits. Thus, a general screening of these patients at their first admission to the ital is desirable.


METHODS
From 1997-2001, 133 patients with head and neck tumors filled in the Self-Rating-Depression-Scale (SDS) at the beginning and end of radiotherapy (ti1/ti2), 6 weeks, and 6 months after radiotherapy (ti3/ti4). RESULTS.: The SDS index increased significantly from 46.44 (ti1) to 48.91(ti2) (p =.025) and then remained stable. The subdomain "somatic-eating-related symptoms" at ti1 was significantly lower than ti2 (p <.001). In contrast to inpatients, outpatients and those with conventional instead of hyperfractionated-accelerated radiotherapy were less impaired by eating-related symptoms. Patients with higher education showed a lower SDS index and cognitive scale. Marital status, tumor stage, histologic grading, and substance abuse had no influence.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with a higher risk of depression should receive long-term monitoring during and after the end of radiotherapy, and prompt intervention strategies should be applied.
Sehlen
Susanne
S
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, LMU Munich, Klinikum GroBetahadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany. susanne.sehlen@helios.uni-muenchen.de
Lenk
Marcus
M
Herschbach
Peter
P
Aydemir
Uelker
U
Dellian
Marc
M
Schymura
Beatrice
B
Hollenhorst
Helmuth
H
Dühmke
Eckhart
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors