Why the study?
Studies evaluating depressive symptoms in cancer patients rarely distinguish between core depression symptoms, which may follow different trajectories and necessitate different treatment approaches.
Core depressive symptoms in colorectal cancer patients fluctuate differently depending on the phase of the illness, suggesting the need for phase-specific treatment approaches.
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Motivational anhedonia may require phase-specific monitoring in CRC; leaves open whether symptom-targeted interventions improve patient outcomes.
PURPOSE: Research investigating depressive symptoms among cancer patients rarely distinguish between core symptoms of depression (motivational and consummatory anhedonia, and negative affect). This distinction is important as these symptoms may show different trajectories during the course of the illness and require different treatment approaches. The aim of the present study is to investigate fluctuations in core depressive symptoms in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). It is hypothesized that these core depressive symptoms fluctuate differently during the course of the illness and depend on the phase of the illness (diagnostic, treatment, recovery and palliative phase). METHOD: This study is based on data from the PROCORE study. PROCORE is a prospective, population-based study aimed to examine the longitudinal impact of CRC and its treatment on patient-reported outcomes. Eligible patients completed self-report questionnaires (i.e. Multifactorial Fatigue Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, EORTC-C30) after diagnosis, after surgery and at one and two years after diagnosis. RESULTS: In total, 539 patients participated of whom 68 have died until March 1ste 2021. Core depressive symptoms fluctuated differently during the course of the illness with higher levels of motivational anhedonia during treatment and palliative phase (P<.001), consummatory anhedonia at the palliative phase (p < .001) and negative affect at the diagnostic and palliative phase (P<.001). CONCLUSION: It is important to distinguish between different core depressive symptoms as they fluctuate differently during the course of an illness like CRC. The various depressive symptoms may require a different treatment approach at specific moments during the illness process.
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Hinnen et al. (2022) studied this question.
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