However , mirtazapine showed effectiveness in treating depression , anxiety , sleep disorders , emesis and neuropathic pain .
Across all studies , mirtazapine is safe to use , with drowsiness and dizziness the most common side-effects .
Cancer patients often experience multiple distressing symptoms which are challenging to manage .
It would therefore be helpful to find a treatment that alleviates more than one symptom , to avoid polypharmacy : mirtazapine has been used in several studies for this purpose .
The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of mirtazapine in alleviating one or more frequently encountered cancer-related symptoms .
An Open-Label Long-Term Naturalistic Study of Mirtazapine Treatment for Depression in Cancer Patients
Abstract Background : Depression is quite common among cancer patients . It has yet to be determined which antidepressant is the most effective in cancer patients with depression . Methods : The present study included 21 consecutive depressed oncology patients of whom 19 were followed up for 6 months . All patients initially received mirtazapine 15 mg/day and the dose was increased in the absence of significant treatment response and adverse effects . Results : Depressive symptoms diminished at the end of month 1 and this improvement was maintained for the remaining 23 weeks of the study . Mean 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAM-D-17 ) scores fell significantly from 21.4 ± 4.9 at baseline to 6.5 ± 3.2 at the end of the first month of treatment ( p < 0.001 ) . Among the 19 patients who were followed up , five reported at least one adverse effect during treatment ; however , the vast majority of these adverse effects were described as mild to moderate . Conclusion : This prospect i ve , open-label study provides preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy , safety and tolerability  of mirtazapine treatment in cancer patients with depression . Relatively low doses of mirtazapine appeared to be safe and effective for treating cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and /or chemotherapy , and the reduction in the severity of depressive symptoms was maintained until the end of the 24-week treatment period
However , mirtazapine showed effectiveness in treating depression , anxiety , sleep disorders , emesis and neuropathic pain .
Across all studies , mirtazapine is safe to use , with drowsiness and dizziness the most common side-effects .
Cancer patients often experience multiple distressing symptoms which are challenging to manage .
It would therefore be helpful to find a treatment that alleviates more than one symptom , to avoid polypharmacy : mirtazapine has been used in several studies for this purpose .
The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of mirtazapine in alleviating one or more frequently encountered cancer-related symptoms .