DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN ADVANCED CANCER: DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES IN PALLIATIVE CARE – A REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5573Keywords:
Depression, Anxiety, Advanced Cancer, Palliative Care, Pharmacological Treatment, Diagnostic ChallengesAbstract
Psychological distress, including depression and anxiety, represents a major clinical concern in patients with advanced cancer, particularly in palliative care settings, where it is associated with reduced quality of life, increased symptom severity, and impaired adherence to oncological treatment. The diagnosis of these conditions remains challenging due to the overlap between psychiatric and disease-related somatic symptoms, as well as the complex and multidimensional nature of distress in this population.
This review examines key diagnostic challenges and current approaches to pharmacological management of depression and anxiety in advanced cancer, with particular emphasis on palliative care populations. The analysis is based on selected clinical guidelines and relevant clinical studies addressing both diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of care.
Available evidence indicates that standard diagnostic criteria may have limited applicability in medically ill patients, requiring careful clinical interpretation and individualized assessment. Pharmacological treatment remains an important component of care, while symptom-oriented strategies and selected adjunctive agents may provide additional clinical benefit, and rapid-acting therapies represent a promising but still evolving area of research.
Effective management requires a flexible, patient-centered approach that integrates clinical context, symptom profile, and treatment goals. Further research is needed to improve diagnostic strategies and to develop more effective and rapidly acting therapeutic options in palliative care settings.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anna Wyżykowska, Monika Maruszak, Julia Grygorowicz, Michał Niedziela, Gabriela Faria, Monika Sas-Wyżykowska, Alina Mykhalevych, Aliaksandr Kryshtofik, Aleksandra Blachucik
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