Washington: University of Rochester researchers have discovered that depression can shorten lives of cancer patients even more than other emotional factors like stress and anxiety.

Psychologist Kirk Warren Brown and co-authors of the study used a number of demographic, medical, cancer treatment, and psychological factors to predict longevity in 205 cancer patients over a 10-year period.

Among the psychological factors examined were emotional responses, ability to cope, positive and negative moods, anxiety, stress, sense of control and depressive symptoms.

Published in the current issue of 'Psychosomatic Medicine' the study showed that depression was the most consistent psychological cause of shortened survival.

Looking at psychological predictors of survival among individuals with cancer is a relatively new area of study, says Brown, visiting assistant professor in the department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology.

"We're trying to understand the role of the mind in the disease process. The fact that depressive symptoms were shown to affect the course of cancer in this study has important implications for psychological screening and treatment of cancer patients," the researcher said.

The researchers suggested that the first year after cancer diagnosis was appropriate for screening for symptoms of depression.

ANI