A diagnosis of cancer does not just affect a patient’s physical health. It is common for cancer patients to feel depression, anxiety, sadness, and grief.
A cancer diagnosis can cause significant psychological and emotional stress and depression is common, affecting about 1 in 4 cancer patients.
If the stress of the condition and treatment exceeds the person’s normal coping mechanisms, it can result in major depressive disorder, also called clinical depression.
What Are Symptoms of Depression in Cancer Patients?
Signs and symptoms of depression may include:
- Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or “empty” feeling nearly every day for most of the day
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed
- Significant weight loss without trying or weight gain
- Sleep changes (insomnia, early waking, or oversleeping)
- Extreme tiredness or lack of energy almost every day
- Loss of appetite
- Restlessness or seeming “slowed down” almost every day
- Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
- Wide mood swings from depression to periods of agitation and high energy
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
- If you or someone you know are in crisis, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to anyone. All calls are confidential.
If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms, tell your doctor. Treatment is available.
What Causes Depression in Cancer Patients?
Depression in cancer patients has multiple causes.
- Physical suffering and damage caused by cancer and its treatment
- The loss of appearance or physical abilities due to cancer or cancer treatment
- A bleak prognosis
- Medications and other cancer treatments
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Hormonal treatments
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Pain medications
- Radiation therapy
- Severe pain
- Chronic stress
- Disability
- Uncertainty about the future
- Cancer may tap into or reactivate old feelings in people who have had a history of abuse, misfortune, or frustration
- Feeling that important goals will not be accomplished
- Overwhelming stress that affects a person’s ability to adjust to the changes
- Cancer that does not respond to treatment
- Lack of caregivers
What Is the Treatment for Depression in Cancer Patients?
The treatment for depression in cancer patients may include a combination of counseling, medication, or other specialized treatments.
Psychotherapy, often called talk therapy, is an effective treatment for depression in most cases. Therapists can help patients work through difficult feelings in a safe environment. Support groups can also be helpful and can connect patients to others going through the same thing, which can make people feel less alone.
Antidepressants may be prescribed, such as:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Desipramine (Norpramin)
- Doxepin
- Imipramine (Tofranil)
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
- Protriptyline
- Trimipramine
Other treatments for depression in cancer patients may include:
- Mindfulness, prayer, meditation, or other spiritual support
- Deep breathing and relaxation exercises
From 
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/emotional-mood-changes/depression.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356432/
https://med.stanford.edu/survivingcancer/coping-with-cancer/cancer-coping-with-depression.html
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/feelings/anxiety-distress-pdq