A new treatment
programme for cancer patients with clinical
depression can significantly boost their
quality of life according to new research
published in the Lancet on Friday 4 July.
Cancer Research
UK scientists devised the treatment
programme which offers patients one-to-one
sessions with specially trained cancer
nurses to help them manage their depression
more effectively.
They found
that, after three months of receiving the
new treatment, almost 20 per cent fewer
patients were depressed compared with
patients who received standard NHS
treatment. The difference was still evident
after one year.
The study
recruited 200 cancer patients with clinical
depression and compared the new strategy -
"Depression Care for People with Cancer" -
with the standard NHS treatment.
Half were
given standard care for depression either
from their GP or hospital specialist. The
other half received the special programme
which entailed sessions on: understanding
depression and the effects of
antidepressants; problem-solving therapy to
help patients overcome feelings of
helplessness; liaison with oncologist and GP
to collaborate in treatment of depression;
monthly monitoring of progress by telephone
and providing optional "booster" sessions.
After three
months, the patients who were treated in
this way found there was an improvement in
anxiety and fatigue as well as depression.
Professor
Michael Sharpe, from the
Psychological
Medicine Research group
at the
University of
Edinburgh
which carried out the study, said: "Ten per
cent of cancer patients experience clinical
depression and, unfortunately, it is not
always adequately treated. This new
treatment could substantially improve the
way we manage depression in people with
cancer and also in people with other serious
medical conditions.
"This is the
first time that this type of depression
treatment has been evaluated in cancer
patients and the results are very
encouraging."
Cancer
Research UK, which funded the study, has
recently awarded Professor Sharpe's research
team more than �4 million to continue their
work in finding better ways to treat
depression and other symptoms in cancer
patients.
Dr Lesley
Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of
cancer information, said: "As well as
finding ways to prevent and treat cancer,
the charity is committed to improving the
quality of life for people who are living
with the disease."
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