ABSTRACT
The proportion of patients with advanced disease who have a clinical depression varies between studies and depends partly on the assessment tools used. It has been suggested that 25% or more of cancer and AIDS patients suffer from depression. All the features listed above could indicate a depression, but some are less useful than others in advanced disease. Some use lofepramine 140–280 mg daily as the best balance between effectiveness and side effects, while others use the newer antidepressants such as sertraline or venlafaxine. Suicidal thoughts are a less useful indicator in advanced disease, since some patients will express a realistic wish that they would rather be dead, rather than be in pain, a burden, immobile etc. In contrast, suicidal planning, thoughts of self-harm and a desire for a hastened death are more important.
