title: The association between depression, weight loss and leptin/ghrelin levels in male patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the relationship between weight loss, depression and anxiety, and appetite hormones, leptin and ghrelin levels in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), as well as the effect of radiotherapy and antidepressant treatment on weight and these hormones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male patients with HNC and twenty physically and mentally healthy male controls were recruited for the study. Psychiatric status was evaluated with clinical interview and psychometric tests. All patients received radiotherapy and antidepressant treatment with mirtazapine that was given to patients with psychiatric disorders. Serum leptin and ghrelin levels were measured pre- and post-treatment in the patients and once in the controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the serum leptin and ghrelin levels of patients and controls. The leptin levels of the patients were decreased by radiotherapy. Eleven patients were diagnosed with major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder and were classed as depressive patients. Depressive patients were affected more by radiotherapy with respect to weight loss. The basal leptin levels of depressive patients were also lower than non-depressive patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that depression aggravated weight loss and, in addition, decreased leptin levels in cancer patients. Detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders may improve prognosis by preventing weight loss as well as by providing psychiatric treatment in cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: sozsoy@erciyes.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Saliha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozsoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aslı
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Besirli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Erciyes University Medical School, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ummuhan
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Abdulrezzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erciyes University Medical School, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Orhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D054439:Ghrelin; D020738:Leptin; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine
keywords: Cancer; Depression; Ghrelin; Leptin; Weight