title: Duloxetine for the treatment of mood disorder in cancer patients: a 12-week case-control clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of duloxetine in cancer patients with mood disorder (MD) by means of a comparison with a matched control group of patients with MD without medical illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine consecutive patients with MD were enrolled in this prospective case-control study and received duloxetine 60/120 mg per day for 12 weeks. Twenty-seven patients were affected by cancer, whereas 32 had an MD without cancer. All the patients were assessed by means of efficacy and effectiveness tolerability scales for depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y1/Y2) and severity of symptoms (Clinical Global Impression (CGI)-Severity) at baseline (T0), after 4 weeks (T1) and 12 weeks (T2). The CGI-Improvement, CGI-Effectiveness Index and Dosage Record Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale were administered at T1 and T2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant global improvement in all the efficacy measures was found. The results showed no significant interaction 'Time X Group', suggesting a similar improvement in efficacy scores for cancer-depressed patients and depressed patients without cancer. No difference was found between the two groups with regard to drop-out percentage, effectiveness and tolerability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the results of this case-control study are preliminary, they suggest that duloxetine can be considered a good option for the treatment of MD in cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Oncological Psychology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. riccardo.torta@unito.it
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torta
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leombruni
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borio
authors.forename: Lorys
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D013876:Thiophenes; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride