Original Article

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Psychiatric morbidity in terminally III cancer patients: A prospective study

  1. Hideaki Minagawa M.D.1,
  2. Yosuke Uchitomi M.D., Ph.D.2,
  3. Shigeto Yamawaki M.D., Ph.D.1,*,
  4. Kunihiko Ishitani M.D., Ph.D.3

Article first published online: 6 DEC 1998

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960901)78:5<1131::AID-CNCR26>3.0.CO;2-2

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Volume 78, Issue 5, pages 1131–1137, 1 September 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

Minagawa, H., Uchitomi, Y., Yamawaki, S. and Ishitani, K. (1996), Psychiatric morbidity in terminally III cancer patients: A prospective study. Cancer, 78: 1131–1137. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19960901)78:5<1131::AID-CNCR26>3.0.CO;2-2

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Hiroshima City, Japan.

  2. 2

    Psycho-oncology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, East, Kashiwa City, Japan.

  3. 3

    Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Sapporo City, Japan.

*Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City 734, Japan.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 DEC 1998
  2. Article first published online: 6 DEC 1998
  3. Manuscript Revised: 25 APR 1996
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 25 APR 1996
  5. Manuscript Received: 26 JAN 1996

Funded by

  • Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Japanese Foundation for Multidisciplinary Treatment of Cancer

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (560K)

Keywords:

  • terminally ill cancer patients;
  • psychiatric morbidity;
  • delirium;
  • depression;
  • adjustment disorder;
  • palliative care

Abstract

BACKGROUND

In the study by Derogatis et al., which included patients with all stages of cancer, 47% of the patients met the DSM-III criteria for a psychiatric disorder, with adjustment disorders being the most common. Although the cancer stage is one factor that influences the nature and incidence of psychiatric disorders, no study has demonstrated the extensive range of psychiatric disorders in terminally ill cancer patients.

METHODS

Ninety-three terminally ill cancer patients were systematically assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) within 1 week of admission.

RESULTS

Of this sample population, 53.7% met the DSM-III-R criteria for a psychiatric disorder and 42% had a cognitive impairment. Delirium was observed in 26 patients (28%), dementia in 10 (10.7%), adjustment disorders in 7 (7.5%), amnestic disorder and major depression in 3 (3.2%), and a generalized anxiety disorder in 1 (1.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary investigation of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in terminally ill cancer patients showed that more than half of the patients met the criteria for a DSM-III-R psychiatric disorder; delirium was the most common type of psychiatric disturbance. Further prospective trials are critically important to establishing treatment modalities that promote the psychiatric well-being of patients with terminal illnesses. Cancer 1996;78:1131-7.

Get PDF (560K)