Depression and pancreatic cancer.

Although pancreatic carcinoma and depression have been linked for years, the prevalence and relationship of these often coexisting diseases are still poorly understood. A clinical gestalt asserts that many patients present with depression before pancreatic carcinoma is diagnosed. Published studies reviewing this issue have found that many patients with pancreatic cancer are depressed. If the definition of depression is broadened to include mild depression in addition to major depression, these numbers increase. This article reviews the literature linking pancreatic carcinoma and depression.