Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Mistaken for Depression in New Study

Physical symptoms associated with ovarian cancer are frequently misattributed to depression, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment, according to a new study by University of Iowa researchers. The findings, published in the journal Cancer, indicate that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer often exhibit physical symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, and difficulty concentrating, which are also common indicators of depression.

Ovarian cancer is a particularly aggressive disease, with around 7,000 cases and 4,000 deaths occurring annually in the UK. Early detection is crucial for survival; approximately 95 percent of women diagnosed at the earliest stage survive for over five years. However, the cancer is notoriously difficult to identify early because its symptoms are often dismissed as being related to other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, stress, menopause, aging, or depression.

The study examined 428 women with ovarian cancer and found that many reported physical symptoms indicative of depression, even when their actual levels of depression were relatively low. These symptoms tended to lessen a year after diagnosis, suggesting they were linked to the disease itself rather than a pre-existing or concurrent mental health condition.

Lora Thompson, a clinical psychologist not involved in the study, noted that the overlap in symptoms can make it challenging for healthcare providers to distinguish between physical effects of cancer and symptoms of depression. She emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to patient care, addressing both physical and emotional well-being.

The researchers concluded that the physical burden of ovarian cancer can inflate scores on depression assessments, potentially leading to misclassification or an overestimation of depression severity. They recommended that healthcare professionals consider the somatic impacts of ovarian cancer when evaluating patients for depression, advocating for refined measurement approaches that account for these physical effects.