title: Predictor Variables and Screening Protocol for Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Cancer Outpatients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer patients are at increased risk of persistent depressive and anxiety symptoms and disorders compared to the general population. However, these issues are not always identified, which may worsen the prognosis and increase morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to identify predictor variables (demographic and clinical) for the development of mood and anxiety disorders in cancer outpatients and to propose a probabilistic screening protocol considering these variables and certain standardized screening instruments.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,385 adults, of both genders, receiving outpatient cancer care were evaluated using a questionnaire and screening instruments. Thereafter, 400 of these subjects responded to the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID-IV) by telephone to confirm or rule out the presence of a Current Major Depressive Episode (CMDE) or Anxiety Disorder (AD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients surveyed, 64% met the criteria for CMDE and 41% for AD. Female gender was found to be a risk factor for both disorders, and the presence of previous psychiatric history and marital status (divorced and widowed) were risk factors for anxiety disorders. When scoring above the recommended cutoff score, the screening instruments also indicated a risk of the studied disorders. Based on these findings, a screening protocol and nomograms were created for the quantification, combination and probabilistic estimate of risk, with accuracy indicators >0.68.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence rates for the disorders under study are extremely high in cancer patients. The use of the proposed protocol and nomogram can facilitate rapid and wide screening, thus refining triage and supporting the establishment of criteria for referral to mental health professionals, so that patients can be properly diagnosed and treated.
authors.affiliation: Pio XII Foundation-Cancer Hospital of Barretos, Barretos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuela Polidoro
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Pio XII Foundation-Cancer Hospital of Barretos, Barretos, Brazil.|Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM-14), School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.|Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.|ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Adhemar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longatto-Filho
authors.affiliation: Pio XII Foundation-Cancer Hospital of Barretos, Barretos, Brazil.|São Paulo University, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Osório
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires