Early interventions for depression tied to better cancer survival

Only 3% of Older Cancer Patients with Depression Started Psychotherapy Within Four Weeks of Their Diagnosis

Only 3% of Medicare cancer patients with depression began psychotherapy within four weeks of diagnosis. What the study found and what Medicare covers.

Early interventions for depression tied to better cancer survival

Depression may be an overlooked factor in cancer outcomes, according to a large SEER-Medicare analysis of more than 265,000 adults with six common cancers. Researchers found that patients with major depressive disorder had a higher risk of dying from their cancer, while those who received psychotherapy within four weeks of their cancer diagnosis had a 21% lower risk of cancer-specific mortality. Only 3% of patients with depression received psychotherapy in that early window, however.

Depression Treatment May Reduce Cancer-Related Mortality

A large U.S. study found that depression may be associated with a higher risk of dying from cancer, while receiving psychotherapy during the first weeks after a cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of cancer-related death.