What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Systematic Review. Population: Cancer and Major Depressive Disorder. Intervention: Depression screening vs. Usual care (no screening). Primary outcome: Depression outcomes.

November 14, 2011PLoS ONEOpen Access

Depression Screening and Patient Outcomes in Cancer: A Systematic Review

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

There is an absence of randomized controlled trial evidence showing that depression screening in cancer patients improves depression outcomes compared to usual care. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

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Key result

Depression screening lacks randomized evidence for improving depression outcomes versus usual care in cancer patients.

Why the study?

Several practice guidelines recommend depression screening in cancer care, but no systematic reviews have examined evidence that screening benefits cancer patients.

Does depression screening improve depression outcomes in cancer patients?

Population

Cancer patients

Comparison

Depression screening and treatment vs placebo or usual care

Design

Systematic review of screening accuracy studies and randomized controlled trials

Authors

AMAnna MeijerLeiden University MRMichelle RosemanUniversity Health Network KMKatherine MiletteJewish General Hospital

Discussion

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Implication

Depression screening lacks RCT evidence of benefit on outcomes in cancer patients; challenges guideline recommendations and leaves open the need for trials.

Study Design

Type

Systematic Review

Structured PICO

Does depression screening improve depression outcomes in cancer patients?

Population

A systematic review of 19 diagnostic accuracy studies and 1 treatment randomized controlled trial evaluating depression screening and treatment outcomes in cancer patients.

Intervention

Depression screening (either alone or in the context of comprehensive depression care) and depression treatment

Comparator

Placebo or usual care

Outcome

Depression outcomes, accuracy of depression screening tools, and effectiveness of depression treatment

There is currently no RCT evidence demonstrating that depression screening in cancer patients improves depression outcomes compared to usual care, despite guideline recommendations.

Limitations

No randomized controlled trials evaluated the effect of depression screening on patient outcomes.
Diagnostic accuracy studies generally had small sample sizes (median of 17 depression cases).
Most diagnostic accuracy studies used exploratory methods to set sample-specific cutoff scores, leading to inflated estimates.
Most diagnostic accuracy studies failed to exclude patients already diagnosed or receiving depression treatment.
Small sample sizes in screening accuracy studies (median = 17 depression cases)
Use of exploratory methods to set sample-specific cutoff scores that varied substantially across studies

Cite This Study

Meijer et al. (2011) conducted a systematic review in Cancer and Major Depressive Disorder. Depression screening vs. Usual care (no screening) was evaluated on Depression outcomes. No randomized controlled trials were found evaluating whether depression screening in cancer patients improves depression outcomes compared to usual care.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aabb2944f75eede048350bd https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0027181

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Implication

Depression screening lacks RCT evidence of benefit on outcomes in cancer patients; challenges guideline recommendations and leaves open the need for trials.

Depression Screening and Patient Outcomes in Cancer: A Systematic Review

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Cite This Study

Depression Screening and Patient Outcomes in Cancer: A Systematic Review

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Cite This Study

Also Consider

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