1. Iatrogenic Acute Estrogen Deficiency and Psychiatric Syndromes in Breast Cancer Patients
- Author
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Jerry Younger, Marie G. Ferraro, Laura Sheingold Duffy, and Donna B. Greenberg
- Subjects
Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.drug_class ,Iatrogenic Disease ,Menopause, Premature ,Breast Neoplasms ,Breast cancer ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Risk factor ,skin and connective tissue diseases ,Applied Psychology ,Depression (differential diagnoses) ,Aged ,Climacteric ,Gynecology ,Depressive Disorder, Major ,business.industry ,Estrogens ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Menopause ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Estrogen ,Acute Disease ,Major depressive disorder ,Female ,Amenorrhea ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Tamoxifen ,Follow-Up Studies ,medicine.drug - Abstract
The change of estrogen function, represented by amenorrhea or hot flashes, that results from breast cancer treatment may increase the risk of major depressive disorder in those women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. This pilot study describes the course of menopausal symptoms and the incidence of depression in 21 patients who were likely to become acutely estrogen deficient during treatment for breast cancer. These included women who lost menses during chemotherapy, who suddenly stopped estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), or who started tamoxifen. Eight patients (38%) developed major depressive disorder, the majority within 6 months of starting treatment. Twenty patients (95%) had dysphoria and/or insomnia. Fourteen patients (66%) had hot flashes. While this is only pilot data, these data suggest that breast cancer patients whose treatment precipitates menopausal symptoms should be targeted for diagnosis of depression and treated if diagnosed.
- Published
- 1999
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