Objective: This study aimed to identify factors affecting depressive symptoms in patients undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) to treat prostate cancer.
Materials: Forty-five patients visiting the psychiatry department without referral because of depressive symptoms while undergoing ADT participated in the study. To assess depressive symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used; to identify variables influencing symptoms, multiple linear regression analysis was performed with BDI scores as well as current age, age at the time when ADT began, the type and length of ADT, disease response to ADT, androgen dependence, serum testosterone level, and whether concurrent chemotherapy was administered to treat progression of prostate cancer during treatment with ADT.
Results: Patients scored an average 18 points (range: 0–40 points) on the BDI. Eleven (24.4%) were classified into the mild depression category, 7 (15.6%) into the moderate depression category, and 12 (26.7%) into the severe depression category. Of the clinical variables affecting BDI scores, type of ADT drug (P<0.001), serum testosterone level (P=0.003), and age at diagnosis (P<0.001) were significant.
Conclusions: Depression occurring in an elderly person for the first time is difficult to treat and easily recurs. We found a high likelihood for depression to occur in patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 70 or older and undergoing ADT. Depression must be diagnosed and treated appropriately, especially if depressive symptoms change in these high-risk patients.
