The diagnosis and treatment of depression in cancer patients with Chinese medicine

Psychological conditions such as depression, maladjustment and anxiety have a high incidence among cancer patients. In most cases left untreated, depression can develop into a chronic disease which may become difficult to treat. Treating potential psychiatric disorders in cancer may improve not only the quality of life, but also survival. Chinese medical oncologists combine traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, resulting in a more effective therapy. Chinese medicine’s ontological assumptions have been statistically verified continuously, allowing researchers to use stricter inclusion criteria based on Chinese medicine diagnosis rather than Western diagnosis only. However, there is still a lack of specific guidance and implementation of daily care recommendation strategies. We suggest that guidelines should be developed based on systematic research evidence to support the recommendations of clinical practice guidelines which involve a multidisciplinary approach that should include Chinese medicine experts. Developing clinical pathways for depression in adult cancer patients is the best practice for guiding and improving the quality of oncology healthcare services