Depression Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Depression, including details on clinical depression, medication, symptoms, treatment, counselling, therapy.

Depressive symptoms and SSRI use in pediatric oncology patients.

Kersun LS, Elia J

Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. segall@email.chop.edu

This review of depressive symptoms in pediatric cancer patients describes the challenge of recognizing depression in this group, prevalence, risk factors, and treatment, primarily with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Pediatric oncologists prescribe SSRIs, but there is limited data regarding their use in this setting. Adverse effects, pharmacokinetics and metabolism of SSRIs are reviewed to provide a reference for physicians and inform choices for SSRI prescription. Ongoing research includes incorporation of routine screening measures for depression and future studies might focus on physician recognition and prospectively evaluating treatment for children with cancer and depressive symptoms.

Published 22 October 2007 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 49(7): 881-7.
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