SynthesisTranslational psychiatry2025
Treatments of depressive symptoms in cancer patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Translational psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Ranking psychological interventions for post-stroke depression: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.Psychological medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Depression remodels tumor microenvironment to drive tumor progression: Bio-behavioural signalling pathways and clinical interventions.Journal of advanced research · 2026Review
- Pharmacotherapeutic Management of Depression in Patients With Cancer: A Review of Mechanistic and Clinical Evidence.Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026Review
- Psychological distress as a putative host-state determinant of cancer immunotherapy response.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression is are often insufficiently managed in cancer patients globally. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in alleviating depressive symptoms in adult cancer patients.
methodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception until 31 July 2024, with an updated search conducted on 10 January 2025. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials evaluating pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions for depressive symptoms in adult patients with cancer (aged ≥18 years). Studies involving paediatric populations, lacking complete outcome data, or not reporting intervention outcomes were excluded. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of included interventions. The review protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023465056).
findingsA total of 95 RCTs involving 17,260 participants were included. Several non-pharmacological interventions indicated potential benefit compared with usual care, notably massage and touch therapy (standardised mean difference [SMD]: -0.76, 95% CI: -1.37 to -0.16; low certainty), relaxation therapy (SMD: -0.59, 95% CI: -1.06 to -0.11; low certainty), psychotherapy (SMD: -0.43, 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.30; low certainty), and education and support of person with cancer (SMD: -0.30, 95% CI: -0.45 to -0.14; low certainty). Among pharmacological approaches, preliminary findings suggest the combination of mirtazapine and methylphenidate may offer benefits compared with placebo (SMD: -2.46, 95% CI: -4.24 to -0.70; low certainty). However, the overall evidence quality was low, reflecting substantial variability and limited data.
interpretationNon-pharmacological interventions such as massage, relaxation therapies, and psychotherapy show promise in alleviating depressive symptoms in cancer patients. Limited preliminary evidence also suggests possible benefits of combined pharmacological treatment (mirtazapine plus methylphenidate). More rigorous research is required to strengthen these findings and better inform clinical practice.
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