title: Efficacy of psychodynamic short-term psychotherapy for depressed breast cancer patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a lack of psychotherapeutic trials of treatments of comorbid depression in cancer patients. Our study determines the efficacy of a manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and predictors of outcome by personality and quality of the therapeutic relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible breast cancer patients with comorbid depression are assigned to short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (up to 20 + 5 sessions) or to treatment as usual (augmented by recommendation for counseling center and physician information). We plan to recruit a total of 180 patients (90 per arm) in two centers. Assessments are conducted pretreatment, after 6 (treatment termination) and 12 months (follow-up). The primary outcome measures are reduction of the depression score in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and remission of depression as assessed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Disorders by independent, blinded assessors at treatment termination. Secondary outcomes refer to quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We investigate the efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in acute care and we aim to identify predictors for acceptance and success of treatment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN96793588.
authors.affiliation: Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany. ruediger.zwerenz@unimedizin-mainz.de
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zwerenz
authors.forename: Manfred E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beutel
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Imruck
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiltink
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haselbacher
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruckes
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidberger
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Langanke
authors.forename: Rolf-Dieter
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kortmann
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhnt
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weissflog
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Barthel
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leuteritz
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult