Depression after diagnosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer and survival: A pilot study

Background: Major depressive disorder is estimated to occur in 10%-25% of people with cancer and it has been inconsistently linked to increased mortality. Objective: This pilot study investigates the association of depression and survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Method: Forty-three recently-diagnosed advanced NSCLC patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and were followed prospectively. Results: Patients with depression had poorer survival. Median survival was four times shorter than those without depression. Controlling for baseline performance status, depression predicted 6-month mortality, but was not significant for overall survival. Conclusion: Although depression after advanced-NSCLC diagnosis was associated with poorer survival at 6 months, this association was not present for overall survival; however, further research with larger samples should be pursued.