ABSTRACT
Depression and anxiety are the most common psychological and/or psychiatric issues experienced by patients with serious physical diseases including cancer. The best estimate is that major depression has a point prevalence of 10–20% in cancer patients, irrespective of cancer stage. This prevalence is similar to that seen in patients with other chronic medical illnesses. The estimated prevalence of clinical anxiety is within a range of 15–30%. Appropriate management of depression and anxiety is essential for maintaining optimal medical care, as these distress can lead to serious and far-reaching negative consequences in patients with serious physical disease. These psychological and/or psychiatric problems can reduce patients' quantity and quality of life and cause severe suffering and suicidal tendencies, as even though both psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies are useful treatments for depression and anxiety among these patients, there is evidence that distress, particularly depression, is often overlooked by medical staff. This chapter will examine the assessment and treatment of depression and anxiety in general medical patients and in patients with cancer.
