It’s normal to feel scared and anxious after a cancer diagnosis but some people – about 15 percent – develop a major depressive disorder. That’s when anti-depressants are considered over and above talk therapy, says Dr. Scott Irwin, a psychiatrist and director of supportive care services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
But certain kinds of anti-depressants may not be appropriate for cancer patients. For instance, some medications may lower the effectiveness of hormone therapy. “Depression and stress make it harder to treat cancer, and make it harder to tolerate the treatments,” says Dr. Irwin. But taking care of someone’s mental health can also impact their cancer care outcomes.
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