Citalopram and group psychotherapy in breast cancer patients: A randomized clinical trial

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in breast cancer patients. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of group psychotherapy on breast cancer patients with depressive disorder who took citalopram. This clinical trial was conducted on 40 breast cancer patients with depressive disorder. The control group received citalopram 20-40 mg/ day for 12 weeks and the intervention group participated in 8 sessions of group psychotherapy in addition to the same dose of citalopram. At the baseline and 3, 6, and 12 weeks after treatment, patients were followed- up. Treatment outcomes and quality of life were compared between the 2 groups. Overall, the depression score of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline with the mean of 11.6±1.6 was signed in the range of clinical depression and after intervention it declined to 8.8±3.6 (in the 3rd week), 7.1±3.9 (6th week), and 5.9±4.5 (12th week). Furthermore, HADS anxiety score at baseline with the mean of 12.6±2.6 was signed in the range of clinical anxiety and after intervention it declined to 9.1±3.0, 7.3±4.1, and 6.0±4.0, respectively. This improvement was significantly more in the combined therapy intervention group (p<0.001). The mean score of quality of life based on WHO QOL-BREF questionnaire increased by 1.85 fold in the case group, improved from 44.09 to 81.70, while the slight change was observed in the control group (p<0.001). During the treatment, no significant adverse drug event was observed in the 2 groups (p>0.05). Group psychotherapy has a significant effect on improving depression, anxiety, and quality of life in breast cancer patients