Cancer sufferers who also have depression may be far more likely to die prematurely, reports a new study from researchers at Tilburg University in The Netherlands. For the study the reviewed survey data collected from 3,080 cancer survivors between 2008 and 2009.
The cancer survivors in the study included those who had suffered endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma or multiple myeloma. They found that those who died prematurely, within ten years of a clear cancer prognosis, were twice as likely to have also suffered clinical depression.
"Paying attention to the recognition and treatment of depressive symptoms in this patient group is key," lead researcher Floortje Mols said in a statement. "The next step is to investigate the possible mechanisms that might explain the association between depressive symptoms and death from cancer. We also need to better understand whether treatments for depressive symptoms in cancer patients have life-prolonging effects."
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