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Depression is unfortunately common in individuals with advanced cancer. Cancer patients are prone to medication side effects and drug interactions and face unique challenges that might be more easily met with psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), than with medications. Although CBT is the most validated psychological treatment for depression, it has not been well studied in patients with advanced cancer. In a U.K. randomized, controlled trial, investigators compared the efficacy of CBT (12 sessions over 3 months) plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone in 230 patients having a broad range of cancers.
CBT patients received a mean of 4.7 sessions (36% received no CBT sessions); the quality of delivered CBT was rated as …