Abstract
Abstract Background: The prevalence of depression among breast cancer patients is estimated to be twice that in the general population, is linked to diminished quality of life and impaired adherence to therapy. Depression is frequently underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in this population. Efficient screening for depression is central to patient-centered care and enhanced clinical outcomes for breast cancer patients. Purpose: To evaluate the use of a commonly utilized symptom assessment instrument as a screen to enhance identification of breast cancer patients experiencing depression. Methods: Data from a longitudinal surveillance database in outpatient supportive and palliative care were utilized, 174 breast cancer patient contacts were evaluated. Patients completed both the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as components of a routinely collected patient-reported outcomes battery. Performance of the MDASI (using the 1–10 Depression question) in identifying cases of depression (defined as a score ≥ 15 on the PHQ-9) was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Data were available on 174 patient contacts. When scored as a continuous measure, the MDASI performed well with an area under the ROC curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81–0.94). An MDASI cutoff score of >= 6 provided a sensitivity of 73% (95% CI, 58%–88%), a specificity of 80% (95% CI, 74%–87%), a positive predictive value (PPV) of 46%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 93%. Conclusion: The “depression” component of the MDASI as a screening instrument for depression in breast cancer patients yields suboptimal sensitivity and specificity for use as a screening tool. Further efforts to evaluate subsequent iterations of the MDASI and combinations of elements in the MDASI that may enhance performance are indicated. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-12-14.
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