Understanding the basis of major depressive disorder in oncological patients: Biological links, clinical management, challenges, and lifestyle medicine

Abstract

In recent years, the incidence of different types of cancer and patient survival have been rising, as well as their prevalence. The increase in survival in recent years exposes the patients to a set of stressful factors such as more rigorous follow-up and more aggressive therapeutic regimens that, added to the diagnosis of the disease itself, cause an increase in the incidence of depressive disorders. These alterations have important consequences for the patients, reducing their average survival and quality of life, and for these reasons, special emphasis has been placed on developing numerous screening tests and early recognition of depressive symptoms. Despite that cancer and major depressive disorder are complex and heterogeneous entities, they also share many critical pathophysiological mechanisms, aiding to explain this complex relationship from a biological perspective. Moreover, a growing body of evidence is supporting the relevant role of lifestyle habits in the prevention and management of both depression and cancer. Therefore, the present study aims to perform a thorough review of the intricate relationship between depression and cancer, with a special focus on its biological links, clinical management, challenges, and the central role of lifestyle medicine as adjunctive and preventive approaches to improve the quality of life of these patients.

A comprehensive study of the academic benefits and practical recommendations to include resistance training programs in institutional education

“…Likewise, resistance training has very positive effects on the cardiovascular system, which is directly associated with better academic results according to different studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses ( Sardinha et al, 2016 ; Álvarez-Bueno et al, 2020 ; Ishihara et al, 2021 ). Finally, habitual physical activity and resistance training are commonly related to other lifestyle variables like proper nutrition and sufficient sleep, whereas sedentarism, an unbalanced diet and inadequate resting leads to different physical and mental concerns ( Fraile-Martinez et al, 2022 ). By controlling these variables and others like (ab)use of screens or the consumption of toxic substances, resistance training can have an enormous and synergistic impact with these factors on the academic performance of young people ( Sánchez-Hernando et al, 2021 ), demonstrating the necessity to encourage and integrate resistance training into a healthy lifestyle to maximize its benefits.…”

Comorbidity between major depressive disorder and physical diseases: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, mechanisms and management

“…Alterations in interoceptive regions are associated with "sickness behavior", characterized by lack of energy, weakness, hyperal gesia, loss of appetite and insomnia, commonly associated with both MDD and physical diseases such as cancer 255,256 , as well as symptoms of increased appetite, energy balance disturbances and hypersomnia, which are shared between atypical MDD and metabolic diseases including obesity, the metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus 15,257 . Deficiencies in endocrine and immunologi cal signaling via interoceptive pathways can also lead to interrup tions in dopamine signaling in the brain's reward and motivation circuitries 258 , most notably in the orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area and ventral striatum 259,260 .…”

Pancreatic cancer progression and mortality predicted by depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

“…Meanwhile, with progress in comprehensive treatment, psychological factors are crucial to the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer. There is increasing evidence that cancer and depression co-exist through complex biological mechanisms, such as psychological stress, circadian rhythm disturbances, inflammatory responses, intestinal dysbiosis, and neurotransmission abnormalities ( 9 ).…”