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Psychiatric comorbidities in cancer patients: acute interventions by the psychiatric consultation liaison service

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Summary

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the psychiatric comorbidities in cancer patients examined by the psychiatric consultation liaison services (CLP) in a general hospital. Furthermore, we intended to examine associations between certain cancers types and psychiatric disorders as well as to give an overview of the psychiatric treatments options that were recommended by the CLP.

Methods

This retrospective analysis investigated 119 psychiatric consultations for cancer patients in a one year period. The assessment covered demographics and cancer diagnosis, psychiatric diagnosis and proceedings.

Results

One third of all patients were treated for hematological cancer, followed by lung cancer. Depression was the most common psychiatric disorder. One third of all patients with hematological cancer were diagnosed with depression, followed by delirium. Inpatient psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy were most commonly recommended by the consultant psychiatrist. Furthermore, 80.2% of all patients received recommendations for medication with antidepressants.

Conclusion

Our data showed that the CLP provides an important service of detecting and initiating early and appropriate treatment for cancer patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders by directing patients to the relevant treatment procedure or facility.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany

    Arnim Quante, Kristina Schulz & Maria Fissler

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich von Bodelschwingh-Klinik, Landhausstraße 33–35, 10787, Berlin, Germany

    Arnim Quante

  3. Department of Psychioatry and Psychotherapy, Oberhavel Klinik Henningsdorf, Henningsdorf, Germany

    Maria Fissler

Authors
  1. Arnim Quante
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  3. Maria Fissler
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Correspondence to Arnim Quante.

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Conflict of interest

A. Quante, K. Schulz, and M. Fissler declare that they have no competing interests.

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Approval by the local ethics committee (Berlin Ethics Committee) was not needed.

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Author contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Kristina Schulz and Arnim Quante. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Kristina Schulz and Maria Fissler. The conceptualization and methodology was performed by Arnim Quante. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Quante, A., Schulz, K. & Fissler, M. Psychiatric comorbidities in cancer patients: acute interventions by the psychiatric consultation liaison service. Wien Med Wochenschr 170, 348–356 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-020-00739-0

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