Having depression before or after a breast cancer diagnosis can lower the chances of survival, a study has found.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky found that those diagnosed with the mental health condition prior to developing breast cancer had a 26 per cent higher risk of death.
Those who developed depression after a breast cancer diagnosis had a 50 per cent higher risk of death.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and causes around 11,500 deaths every year. Around three in 100 people experience depression in any given week in England, according to Mind.
The findings suggest that diagnosing and treating depression at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and beyond can be critical to patient care and survival.
Researchers analysed data from 6,054 patients, who were categorised as having no depression, depression before cancer diagnosis only, depression after cancer diagnosis only, or persistent depression.
Persistent depression was defined as depression both before and after cancer diagnosis.
Of the patients surveyed 4.1 per cent had persistent depression, 2.7 per cent had depression before their diagnosis and 2.7 per cent had depression after their diagnosis.
Dr Huang, of the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center, said: “A surprising result from this study is that patients with persistent depression did not experience worse survival compared with patients with no depression.
“Given that under-diagnosis and under-treatment of depression are common among cancer patients, persistent depression could be an indication that patients’ depression may have been well managed. Hence, this particular result suggests the importance of depression screening and management throughout a cancer patient’s care.”
He added: “More rigorous studies are needed in depression management and across various cancer sites and patient populations. Subsequently, results from these research studies may further shape policies and guidelines for depression management in cancer care.”
The study was published on Monday in the journal CANCER.
