방사선 치료 중인 암환자의 우울에 대한 연구

A Study of Depression in Cancer Patients on Radiotherapy

Objects ： This study was intended to compare the prevalence rate of depression and to in vestigate the characteristics of depression in cancer patients on radiotherapy. Methods ： The authors studied the patterns and prevalence of depression of the 50 cancer patients who were being treated by radiotherapy. Endicott s revised criteria for depression and rating scales for depression, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HRSD), were used to evaluate depression. Also, the authors compared the mean scores of BDI and HRSD according to each selected variables which might influence on the affective state of cancer patients. Results ： 1) According to Endicott criteria for depression, twenty patients(40%) were major depression, twenty-four patients(48%) were minor depression and six patients(12%) were non-depressed. 2) Items of hypochondriasis, weight loss, loss of appetite, and digestive symptoms in both BDI and HRSD , which indicate secondary symptoms induced by cancer itself, were significantly higher in both depressed groups as compared with non-depressed group. This suggests that we should not treat these symptoms simply as secondary symptoms dut to cancer itself but consider presentation of depression when cancer patients complain o f these somatic symptoms. 3) Educational level, sex, age, duration of illness did not affect the rate of prevalence of major depression. But the widowed showed significantly higher prevalence of major depression than those who were in the married status (p <0.01). 4) Difference in rates of depression was noted among different cancer groups. The breast cancer group showed significantly lower rate of major depression(p < 0.01) and much lower mean scores of BDI and HRSD than the lung cancer or other cancer groups(p < 0.01). Conclusion ： These above results suggest that depression is very common in cancer patients on radiotherapy and appropriate concerns is needed. The rate of depression was significantly higher in lung cancer group and in the widowed. We have to pay psychiatric concerns about somatic symptoms sush as weight loss, loss of appetite, and digestive symptoms which indicate secondary symptoms induced by cancer itself. Because these somatic symptoms were more prevalent in depressed groups