The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among cancer patients

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Abstract
Randomly accessed cancer patients [215] who were new admissions to 3 collaborating cancer centers were examined for the presence of formal pyschiatric disorder. Each patient was assessed in a common protocol via a psychiatric interview and standardized psychological tests. The American Psychiatric Association''s DSM-III diagnostic system was used in making the diagnoses. Forty-seven percent of the patients received a DSM-III diagnosis, with 44% being diagnosed as manifesting a clinical syndrome and 3% with personality disorders. Approximately 68% of the psychiatric diagnoses consisted of adjustment disorders, with 13% representing major affecting disorders (depression). The remaining diagnoses were split among organic mental disorders (8%), personality disorders (7%), and anxiety disorders (4%). Approximately 85% of those patients with a positive psychiatric condition were experiencing a disorder with depression or anxiety as the central symptom. The large majority of conditions were judged to represent highly treatable disorders.