Network connectivity between psychological resilience and depression in prostate cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients often experience depression. One possible buffer against stress-related depression is psychological resilience (PR), which has been described as heterogeneous in structure, like major depressive disorder (MDD). Although both of these constructs are central to understanding and assisting distressed PCa patients, no data have been reported on how they connect via network arrays at a component and symptom level. Such information has the potential to inform clinical practice with depressed PCa patients. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 555 PCa patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Connor-Davison Resilience Scale (CDRISC). Data were analysed via network analysis. RESULTS: Network analysis indicated that various CDRISC factors interacted with different PHQ-9 symptoms. For example, trust in one's instincts, tolerance of negative affect, and strengthening effects of stress (CDRISC) was associated with concentration problems and suicidal ideation (PHQ-9); positive acceptance of change, and secure relationships (CDRISC) was linked to low self-worth, anhedonia, fatigue/lethargy, motor problems, depressed mood, and concentration and appetite problems (PHQ-9). Similarly heterogeneous associations were found between individual CDRISC items and PHQ-9 symptoms. Network analytic figures depict both these sets of associations. CONCLUSIONS: As well as confirming the heterogeneous nature of PR and MDD in PCa patients, these findings argue for the further development of 'individualised' medicine approaches when working with PCa patients and their experiences of depression.

Network analysis of depression in prostate cancer patients: Implications for assessment and treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Many prostate cancer patients also suffer from depression, which can decrease their life satisfaction and also impede recovery from their cancer. This study described the network structure of depressive symptomatology in prostate cancer patients, with a view to providing suggestions for clinical interventions for depressed patients. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 555 prostate cancer patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS: Network analysis and multidimensional scaling indicated that anhedonia was the most central symptom for these men, and that several sets of depression symptoms were closely associated with each other. These included anhedonia-depressed mood; sleeping problems-fatigue/lethargy; and suicidal ideation-low self-worth-depressed mood. Other depression symptoms such as appetite problems, concentration problems, and motor problems, were less well-related with the remainder of the network. Patients receiving treatment for reocurring prostate cancer (PCa) had significantly higher PHQ9 scores than patients undergoing their initial treatment, but no major differences in their network structures. Implications for clinical practice were derived from the relationships between individual depression symptoms and the overall depression network by examining node predictability. CONCLUSIONS: The use of total depression scores on an inventory does not reflect the underlying network structure of depression in PCa patients. Identification and treatment of the central symptom of anhedonia in PCa patients suggests the need to adopt specific therapies that are focussed upon this symptom.

Which Aspects of Psychological Resilience Moderate the Association between Deterioration in Sleep and Depression in Patients with Prostate Cancer?

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of psychological resilience on sleep-deterioration-related depression among patients with prostate cancer, in terms of the total score and individual symptoms. From a survey of 96 patients with prostate cancer, 55 who reported a deterioration in their sleep quality since diagnosis and treatment completed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Moderation analysis was conducted for the scale total scores and for the 'core' symptoms of each scale within this sample, based on data analysis. Interaction analysis was used to identify key associations. The moderation analysis suggested that psychological resilience moderated the depressive effect of sleep deterioration that patients reported occurred after their diagnosis and treatment and did so at the total and 'core' symptom levels of being able to see the humorous side of things and to think clearly when under pressure, but there was an interaction between this moderating effect, the strength of psychological resilience, and severity of sleep deterioration. Although it appears to be a successful moderator of depression arising from sleep deterioration that was reported by patients with prostate cancer, the effectiveness of psychological resilience is conditional upon the severity of patients' sleep difficulties and the strength of their psychological resilience. Implications for the application of resilience training and concomitant therapies for patients with prostate cancer with sleep difficulties and depression are discussed.

A prospective study of the effect of testosterone escape on preradiotherapy prostate-specific antigen kinetics in prostate cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetic patterns during neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy have been shown to predict unfavorable long-term outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of testosterone escape (TE) on these kinetic patterns, as this had not been previously reported. METHODS: There were 50 consecutive prostate cancer patients who received 6 months of triptorelin prior to definitive radiotherapy (RT). Testosterone and PSA levels were measured at baseline and every 6 weeks. Clinical factors were tested for their ability to predict for TE and unfavorable PSA kinetic patterns. The effects of TE, at both 1.7 and 0.7 nmol/L levels, were analyzed. RESULTS: TE occurred in at least one reading for 14% and 34% of the patients at the 1.7 and 0.7 nmol/L levels, respectively. No baseline factors predicted TE. The median PSA halving time was 25 days and the median pre-RT PSA level was 0.55 ng/mL. The only factor significantly associated with a higher pre-RT PSA level was a higher baseline PSA level. The only factor that significantly predicted a longer PSA halving time was TE at the 1.7 nmol/L level. CONCLUSIONS: TE and higher baseline PSA levels may adversely affect PSA kinetics and other outcomes for patients undergoing neoadjuvant hormone therapy prior to radiotherapy. Studies investigating the tailoring of neoadjuvant therapy by extending the duration in those patients with a higher baseline PSA level or by the addition of anti-androgens in those demonstrating TE, should be considered.

Deterioration in Sleep Quality Affects Cognitive Depression in Prostate Cancer Patients.

Men who suffer from prostate cancer (PCa) need to make important decisions regarding their treatment options. There is some evidence that these men may suffer from sleep difficulties due to their cancer or its diagnosis and treatment. Although sleep difficulties have been associated with cognitive depression in other samples of men, they have not been examined in PCa patients, despite the importance of decision-making for these men. This study was designed to investigate the association between sleep difficulties and cognitive depression in PCa patients. A sample of 96 PCa patients completed a background questionnaire, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Comparison was made between sleep difficulty scores from before the patients received their diagnosis of PCa to the time of survey, allowing use of a "retrospective pretest" methodology. Just over 61% of the sample reported a deterioration in sleep quality, and this was significantly associated with cognitive depression (r = .346, p = .007). At the specific symptom level, having a clear mind significantly contributed to the variance in difficulty falling asleep (R2 change = .140, F for change = 9.298, p = .003). Sleeping difficulties, particularly falling asleep, are common and associated with depression-related to ability to think clearly in PCa patients. This has potentially adverse effects upon the ability of men with PCa to understand their treatment options and make decisions about them.

'Steeling' effects in the association between psychological resilience and cancer treatment in prostate cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To test the 'buffering' effect of psychological resilience (PR) upon depression in prostate cancer patients and to also investigate any effects that past or current treatment may have had upon patients' PR as a test of the 'steeling' hypothesis of past adversity upon future resilience. METHODS: A total of 576 volunteer prostate cancer patients completed questionnaires about their demographic and treatment variables, and their psychological resilience and depression. Factor analysis was used to identify the underlying components of the resilience measure. RESULTS: PR was confirmed as an inverse correlate of depression in these men. Additionally, some past and current treatments were found to be significantly associated with patients' psychological resilience in a way suggestive of 'steeling' effects. CONCLUSION: These data provide support for the model of PR as being influenced by past experiences of adversity and demonstrate that association for prostate cancer patients.

Depression and prostate cancer: implications for urologists and oncologists.

Many patients with prostate cancer experience severe levels of depression, which can negatively affect their treatment and disease course. Some prostate cancer treatments can increase the severity of a patient's depression, for example, by increasing anhedonia and erectile dysfunction. Depression is often thought of as a unitary phenomenon, but multiple subtypes can be distinguished. This variety of manifestations challenges the successful application of universal antidepressant treatment options and argues for a multi-symptom assessment process that considers a patient's disease burden and their particular form of depression. Inclusion of screening and detailed diagnosis of depression can be argued to be part of good practice, and clinicians are urged to consider when and how this might be accomplished within their urological practice.

How accurately can multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging measure the tumour volume of a prostate cancer? Results of a systematic review.

The tumour volume of a cancer within the prostate gland is commonly measured with multiparametric MRI. The measurement has a role in many clinical scenarios including focal therapy, but the accuracy of it has never been systematically reviewed. We included articles if they compared tumour volume measurements obtained by mpMRI with a reference volume measurement obtained after radical prostatectomy. Correlation and concordance statistics were summarised. A simple accuracy score was derived by dividing the given mean or median mpMRI volume by the histopathological reference volume. Factors affecting the accuracy were noted. Scores for potential bias and quality were calculated for each article. A total of 18 articles describing 1438 patients were identified. Nine articles gave Pearson's correlation scores, with a median value of 0.75 but the range was wide (0.42-0.97). A total of 11 articles reported mean values for volume while 9 reported median values. For all 18 articles, the mean or median values for MRI volumes were lower than the corresponding reference values suggesting consistent underestimation. For articles reporting mean and median values for volume, the median accuracy scores were 0.83 and 0.80, respectively. The accuracy was higher for tumours of greater volume, higher grade and when an endorectal coil was used. Accuracy did not seem to improve over time, with a 3 Tesla magnet or by applying a shrinkage factor to the reference measurement. Most studies showed evidence of at least moderate bias, and their quality was highly variable, but neither of these appeared to affect accuracy.

Is prospective MRI mapping of the changes in the volume of the prostate gland in prostate cancer patients undergoing 6 months of neo-adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy a step towards a trial to determine those who may benefit from treatment intensification or extended duration?

INTRODUCTION: Neo-adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy prior to radiotherapy (RT) causes shrinkage of the prostate gland, but the changes in volume have never been mapped over time in detail, nor have the associations between volume reduction and testosterone escape or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics been determined. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with prostate cancer were treated with 6 months of triptorelin prior to definitive RT. The volume of the prostate gland was measured at the outset and every 6-7 weeks thereafter using MRI scans. The volumes were calculated using a planimetric method, and inter-rater reliability was checked. Factors associated with a large initial volume and greater reductions in it were assessed. RESULTS: The median volume at the outset was 45 cc, and the median reductions every 6 weeks thereafter were 23, 18, 9 and 5%. The inter-rater agreement was high (r > 0.9, P < 0.001). There were no baseline clinical factors associated with a high initial prostate volume, but the initial volume was associated with greater volume reduction. Testosterone escape had no effect on the reduction, and changes in volume were not reflected in PSA response kinetics. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in volume continue throughout a 6-month course of neo-adjuvant therapy but are greatest during the first 6 weeks. Although individualisation of the duration or intensity of the hormone treatment warrants further investigation, the role of prostate gland volume reduction remains uncertain. More detailed studies of tumour volume might be possible if the imaging required was acceptable and accessible to patients.

How Accurately Can Prostate Gland Imaging Measure the Prostate Gland Volume? Results of a Systematic Review.

AIM: The measurement of the volume of the prostate gland can have an influence on many clinical decisions. Various imaging methods have been used to measure it. Our aim was to conduct the first systematic review of their accuracy. METHODS: The literature describing the accuracy of imaging methods for measuring the prostate gland volume was systematically reviewed. Articles were included if they compared volume measurements obtained by medical imaging with a reference volume measurement obtained after removal of the gland by radical prostatectomy. Correlation and concordance statistics were summarised. RESULTS: 28 articles describing 7768 patients were identified. The imaging methods were ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (US, CT, and MRI). Wide variations were noted but most articles about US and CT provided correlation coefficients that lay between 0.70 and 0.90, while those describing MRI seemed slightly more accurate at 0.80-0.96. When concordance was reported, it was similar; over- and underestimation of the prostate were variably reported. Most studies showed evidence of at least moderate bias and the quality of the studies was highly variable. DISCUSSION: The reported correlations were moderate to high in strength indicating that imaging is sufficiently accurate when quantitative measurements of prostate gland volume are required. MRI was slightly more accurate than the other methods.

" The Worst Thing Was ": Prostate Cancer Patients' Evaluations of Their Diagnosis and Treatment Experiences.

The objective of the current study was to identify the patient-perceived "worst aspects" of their diagnostic and treatment processes for prostate cancer (PCa) so as to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing patient anxiety and depression. Two hundred and fifty-two patients who had received their diagnoses less than 8 years ago answered a postal survey about (a) background information, (b) their own descriptions of the worst aspects of their diagnosis and treatment, and (c) their ratings of 13 aspects of that process for (i) how these aspects made them feel stressed, anxious, and depressed and (ii) how they affected their relationships with significant others. They also answered standardized scales of anxiety and depression. The worst aspects reported by patients were receiving the initial diagnosis of PCa, plus the unknown outcome of that diagnosis, because of the possibility of death, loss of quality of life and/or partner, and the shock of the diagnosis. The most common coping strategy was to "just deal with it," but participants also thought that more information would help. Principal contributors to feeling stressed, anxious, and depressed were also the diagnosis itself, followed by surgery treatment effects. The aspects that most affected relationships were receiving the diagnosis and the side effects of hormone therapy. The identification of these specific worst aspects of the PCa experience provides a set of potential treatment and prevention "targets" for psychosocial care in PCa patients.

Comparing a genetic and a psychological factor as correlates of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress in men with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: Some prostate cancer (PCa) patients become clinically anxious or depressed after diagnosis and treatment. Some also show the physiological signs of chronic stress. However, there are currently no data describing how these particular patients might be identified at intake. This study tested the individual and combined predictive power of a psychological factor and a genetic factor as potential predictors of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress in a sample of PCa patients. METHODS: Ninety-five PCa patients completed psychological inventories for anxiety, depression, and psychological resilience (PR) and also gave a saliva sample for cortisol and a mouthwash sample for genetic testing for the presence of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. RESULTS: High PR patients had significantly lower anxiety and depression than low PR patients, but showed no significant differences in their salivary cortisol. Carriers of the Met allele of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism had significantly higher salivary cortisol concentrations than patients who did not carry this allele. CONCLUSIONS: Each of these two factors may provide valuable information regarding the vulnerability of PCa patients to anxiety, depression, or chronic stress. Suggestions are made for their inclusion in clinical settings.

Limitations in the inverse association between psychological resilience and depression in prostate cancer patients experiencing chronic physiological stress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of chronic stress as measured in cortisol concentrations upon the association between psychological resilience (PR) and depression in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. METHODS: A total of 104 men with PCa completed inventories on PR, depression, and background factors, plus gave a sample of their saliva for cortisol assay. RESULTS: The inverse correlation between PR and depression was present only for PCa patients with low or moderate concentrations of salivary cortisol (when classified as more than 1.0 SD below the mean vs within 1.0 SD of the group mean) but not for those men whose cortisol was >1.0 SD from the group mean. Specific PR factors and behaviours that made the greatest contribution to depression were identified for the low and moderate cortisol groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there are particular aspects of PR that are most strongly related to depression, but that PR's inverse association with depression may be absent in participants with extreme chronic physiological stress.

Evidence of depression-associated circadian rhythm disruption and regret in prostate cancer patients after surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between prostate cancer (PCa) patients' regret that their surgery harmed them, and their scores on the two key symptoms of major depressive disorder (depressed mood, anhedonia) and a symptom of melancholic depression (disruption to circadian rhythm). METHODS: Forty PCa patients who had received surgery for their PCa completed a postal survey including background information, regret about surgery that 'did them a lot of harm' and three items drawn from the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale measuring depressed mood, anhedonia and circadian rhythm disruption. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between all three symptoms of depression (depressed mood, anhedonia, disruption to circadian rhythm) and between patients' regret that surgery did them a lot of harm and their circadian rhythm disruption, but not between depressed mood or anhedonia and regret about surgery doing harm. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PCa patients' post-surgery regrets about major harm may lead to a significant disruption in a central physiological function and raise the need to consider this side effect of surgery when planning supportive services for these men.

Does psychological resilience buffer against the link between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and depression following stress.

The comparative strength of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism as a 'predictor' of depression after major stress, versus the 'protective' effect of psychological resilience (PR) against depression after major stress, was tested in a homogeneous sample of older men who had all received a diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer. Results supported the association between PR and lower depression after stress, but did not support the association between the 5-HTTLPR and elevated depression after stress. Examination of PR at scale, factor, and item level identified the specific PR-related behaviour that was the most powerful predictor of low depression. These data suggest that the carriage of the short form of the 5-HTTLPR may negate the protective effect of PR against depression in these men, or that PR may nullify the depression vulnerability of this form of the 5-HTTLPR. These findings may explain some of the 'null' findings regarding the link between the 5-HTTLPR and depression in the wider literature by arguing for an interaction between these two factors in the association between major stress and depression.

Psychological resilience aspects that mediate the depressive effects of urinary incontinence in prostate cancer survivors 10 years after treatment with radiation and hormone ablation.

Repeated surveys of prostate cancer (PCa) patients indicate that their prevalence of depression is well above that for their non-PCa peers. Although standard first-line treatments for depression are only about 35% effective, some recent comments have suggested that a focus upon the possible correlates (factors that aggravate or mediate depression) might help improve treatment efficacy. To investigate this issue, 144 10 year PCa survivors were asked about the frequency of urinary incontinence, a common side effect of some PCa treatments. The 53 patients who suffered urinary incontinence had significantly higher depression scores on the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale than those patients who did not report urinary incontinence. Using mediation analysis, patients' psychological resilience (PR) significantly mediated the depressive effects of urinary incontinence, but those effects were confined to just one of the five components of PR-a sense of control over the things that happen to oneself. Implications for treatment models of psychosocial oncology support for PCa survivors are discussed.

Using cluster analysis of anxiety-depression to identify subgroups of prostate cancer patients for targeted treatment planning.

BACKGROUND: To explore any possible subgroupings of prostate cancer (PCa) patients based upon their combined anxiety-depression symptoms for the purposes of informing targeted treatments. METHODS: A sample of 119 PCa patients completed the GAD7 (anxiety) and PHQ9 (depression), plus a background questionnaire, by mail survey. Data on the GAD7 and PHQ9 were used in a cluster analysis procedure to identify and define any cohesive subgroupings of patients within the sample. RESULTS: Three distinct clusters of patients were identified and were found to be significantly different in the severity of their GAD7 and PHQ9 responses, and also by the profile of symptoms that they exhibited. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of these 3 clusters of PCa patients indicates that there is a need to extend assessment of anxiety and depression in these men beyond simple total score results. By applying the clustering profiles to samples of PCa patients, more focussed treatment might be provided to them, hopefully improving outcome efficacy.

Trajectories of total depression and depressive symptoms in prostate cancer patients receiving six months of hormone therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hormone therapy (HT) on depression and depressive symptoms in prostate cancer patients undergoing 6 months of HT. METHODS: One hundred two prostate cancer patients who had been prescribed HT completed the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and two questions about their sexual enjoyment and performance, plus a background questionnaire before HT, after 8 to 10 weeks of HT and again after 16 to 20 weeks of HT. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in SDS scores from before to during HT. High depression score before HT was a significant predictor of later increases in depression during HT. Increases in depressive symptoms were restricted to 8 of the 20 SDS symptoms, the most powerful change being in sexual anhedonia, which was a result of decreased ability to perform during sexual activity. CONCLUSIONS: The association between HT and elevated depression is confirmed, but the relative influence of sexual anhedonia over other depressive symptoms expands the understanding of this association. The effects of decreased ability to perform during sex appear to dominate the increase in depression during HT. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.