Depression and cancer: an appraisal of the literature for prevalence, detection, and practice guideline development for psychological interventions.

This paper reviews the current literature concerning the prevalence and incidence of depression in the general population and within the population of people living with cancer where depression is defined using current standards and guidelines. Reviews of recent work where the treatment of depression was the focus of study are also presented. Finally, studies that have specifically addressed the psychological treatment of depression among cancer patients are critically reviewed. Suggestions for practice guideline development of psychological interventions are offered based on the review.