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SummaryDepression measurement in cancer care is complex and inconsistent. It is difficult for investigators to select the best-performing tool. We conducted a meta-review to integrate the findings of reviews of patient-report depression measures used as screeners or case-finders in oncology. We searched Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE and grey literature from 1999-2014. We identified 19 reviews representing 372 primary studies assessing more than 50 depression measures. We used 11 highquality reviews to guide our analysis, which was organized by measurement goal and target population. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale was the most recommended, and criticized, depression screener. Few reviews evaluated casefinding performance or measure responsiveness, or measure suitability for particular populations. This meta-review demonstrates that the available measure selection advice is conflicting. By being fully cognizant of the benefits and limitations of depression measurement, investigators can improve the accuracy of their data and achieve more sophisticated interpretations of their findings.

Background: It is well established that patients with glioma may experience adverse general (eg, headache) or focal symptoms (eg, personality changes) and neurocognitive deficits (eg, planning), but they may also experience severe emotional distress. We investigated the prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with newly diagnosed glioma and in matched cancer-free persons. Methods: For this study, we recruited patients with glioma diagnosed within 12 months at all 4 neurosurgical clinics in Denmark. The cancer-free comparison group was identified through the Danish Central Person Register and matched on sex and age. Participants’ depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D; score range, 0–60), with a cutoff score ≥16 indicating moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Results: In this study, 363 of 554 patients with glioma and 481 of 1,304 cancer-free persons participated. Mean age of all patients was 55 years and 60% of the population was male. Mean scores for depressive symptoms were statistically significantly higher among patients with glioma, with a mean CES-D score of 10.9 (95% CI, 10.1–11.8) compared with 5.3 (95% CI, 4.7–5.8) among cancer-free persons (P<.0001). Overall, 92 patients with glioma (25%) and 30 cancer-free persons (6%) had moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. After adjustment for marital status, education level, and comorbidity, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 5 times higher among patients with glioma compared with cancer-free persons. Conclusions: A substantially higher prevalence of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms was identified in patients with glioma compared with cancer-free persons. This indicates the importance of programs to systematically identify and manage depressive symptoms in patients with glioma.

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