Interpersonal Therapy for Depression in Breast Cancer
Condition: Major Depression
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4

Summary: 
      The investigators propose a randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of
      Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Problem-Solving Therapy (PST), and Brief Supportive
      Psychotherapy (BSP), in improving depressive symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and quality
      of life among patients with breast cancer and major depressive disorder (MDD).
    

Detailed description: 
      Depressive symptoms and disorders are common in cancer patients: up to 58% have depressive
      symptoms, and 38% meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition
      (DSM-IV) criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). Depression worsens over the course of
      cancer treatment, persists long after cancer therapy, recurs with recurrence of cancer, and
      negatively affects patients' adherence to cancer treatment, survival, symptom management,
      psychosocial functioning, and quality of life. As surviving cancer becomes increasingly
      common, there is an urgent need to establish an empirical basis for the provision of
      evidence-based treatments to depressed cancer patients.We propose a randomized clinical trial
      to compare the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Problem-Solving Therapy (PST),
      and Brief Supportive Psychotherapy (BSP), in improving depressive symptoms, psychosocial
      functioning, and quality of life among patients with breast cancer and major depressive
      disorder. The study is based on several complementary observations from recent studies.
      First, 30-60% of cancer patients experience clinically significant depressive symptoms.
      Second, depression is associated with poorer cancer outcomes. Third, over the course of the
      illness, depression recurs or persists for a significant number of cancer patients. Fourth,
      several recent reviews have indicated that, despite decades of research and hundreds of
      studies, the available evidence is insufficient to empirically guide the treatment of major
      depressive disorder in cancer patients. This has led the national institute of health, the
      Institute of Medicine, and other experts to call for well-designed, controlled trials of the
      treatment of depression in cancer patients.

      Interpersonal Psychotherapy is a brief, manualized therapy that has shown efficacy in
      treating major depression in several controlled trials including a large trial for depressed
      HIV-infected individuals and other randomized trials in depressed individuals with other
      comorbid medical illnesses. Research shows that Interpersonal Psychotherapy improves social
      skills and functioning. Interpersonal Psychotherapy has shown remarkable flexibility and
      efficacy across age ranges, cultures, formats, and modes of delivery. We recently obtained
      promising pilot data in a small open trial on the acceptability and efficacy of individual
      Interpersonal Psychotherapy for depressed breast cancer patients of diverse ethnic
      background, socioeconomic status, and cancer progression stage. Problem-Solving Therapy is a
      brief, manualized form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that has been adapted to treat
      depression in cancer patients, and has shown highly promising results. Brief Supportive
      Psychotherapy, a relatively unstructured psychotherapy commonly used in clinical practice,
      focuses on the patient's affect. It builds a strong therapeutic alliance through careful,
      empathic listening and validating and encouraging toleration of the patient's emotions. It
      has shown promising results in depressed individuals with cancer and other medical illnesses.
    

Intervention name(s): Interpersonal Psychotherapy; Problem-Solving Therapy; Brief Supportive Psychotherapy
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Interpersonal Psychotherapy will consist of twelve 50-minute sessions delivered within a period of 16 weeks. IPT is divided into three phases.; Problem-Solving Therapy will also consist of 12 50-minute sessions. The goals of the PST are: 1) to assist patients to identify and link life situations related to the depression; 2) to increase the effectiveness of the patient's problem-solving attempts at coping with current problems based on an intervention carried out in a concrete, structured and, unambiguous manner.; The treatment approach will follow the standard supportive therapy approaches used in depression and medical illness, as noted below.
Brief Supportive Psychotherapy has a biopsychosocial perspective, recognizing contributions of genetic predisposition and neuroendocrine factors (Novalis et al., 1993, p. 257-277). Its goals are to maximize patient function during crisis, to support the patient's judgment with the therapist's reasoning skills, and to engender hope for recovery. Primary techniques and practices include reality testing; being relatively accepting of existing defenses but attempting to restructure them when appropriate; and, using self-esteem enhancing measures.
Other intervention name(s): IPT; PST; BSP
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment