Longitudinal analysis of psychiatric morbidity in cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
About one third of cancer patients suffers from a psychiatric disorder. However, only few studies feature long-term assessment of psychiatric disease in cancer patients, covering a broad range of diagnoses, and employing high-quality instruments.


METHODS
A total of 62 patients underwent assessments during a 3-year follow-up period after initial cancer diagnosis. The Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) was used to measure psychiatric morbidity at baseline (t1) and 2 follow-up assessments (t2 and t3). Follow-up assessments took place between 6 and 18 months (t2) and between 24 and 36 months (t3) after baseline measurement.


RESULTS
At t1, at least one DSM-IV diagnosis was found in 29% of the patients. During follow-up, the frequency of psychiatric morbidity increased to 36% at t2 and 44% at t3. New occurrence of psychiatric disease during follow-up was 18% at t2 and 38% at t3.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistence and number of newly diagnosed psychiatric disorders during the first 3 years after cancer treatment should be considered in the treatment of cancer patients, especially in individuals with according predictive factors.
Holger
H
Bringmann
Susanne
S
Singer
Michael
M
Höckel
Jens-Uwe
JU
Stolzenburg
Oliver
O
Krauss
Reinhold
R
Schwarz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors