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Depression in patients with head and neck cancer and a functional genetic polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene
Author(s) -
Gilbert Jill,
Haman Kirsten L.,
Dietrich Mary S.,
Blakely Randy D.,
Shelton Richard C.,
Murphy Barbara A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.21744
Subject(s) - head and neck cancer , medicine , serotonin transporter , depression (economics) , odds ratio , allele , head and neck , oncology , gastroenterology , cancer , genetics , surgery , gene , biology , serotonin , receptor , economics , macroeconomics
Background Polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene, 5‐HTTLPR (short allele) has been associated with depression. The purpose of this study was to show the evaluated depression in patients with head and neck cancer and a possible association with the 5‐HTTLPR. Methods The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID for DSM‐IV) was administered to 94 patients with head and neck cancer, of which 33 patients were genotyped for 5‐HTTLPR. We also evaluated the prevalence of 5‐HTTLPR polymorphism in 121 patients with head and neck cancer and 97 controls. Results Forty‐three percent of the patients met the criteria for a depressive diagnosis, 19% of which was new onset. In depressed patients, 85.7% ( n = 12 of 14) had at least 1 short allele versus 68.4% ( n = 13 of 19) of the patients without depressive diagnosis ( p < .04). No difference was noted in the prevalence of the short allele in head and neck cancer cases versus controls (odds ratio = 0.8; p = .490). Conclusion Despite the high rate of depressive diagnosis, patients with head and neck cancer did not demonstrate a higher prevalence of this short allele of the 5‐HTTLPR compared with a control population.© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012