Dose-Dependent Development of Depressive Symptoms During Adjuvant Interferon-α Treatment of Patients With Malignant Melanoma

BackgroundAdjuvant IFN-α treatment for patients with malignant melanoma is often complicated by depression. The influence of dosage, however, is unknown.ObjectiveThe authors sought to elucidate this dosage effect.MethodUsing the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the German Bf-S Self-Rating (Affectivity) Scale, the authors prospectively compared the frequency and severity of IFN-α–induced depressive symptoms between a group of 29 patients receiving low-dose and 17 patients getting high-dose induction therapy for 4 weeks.ResultsPatients receiving high-dose induction treatment had significantly higher depression scores after 4 weeks, and significantly more patients in the high-dose group developed depression.ConclusionThe authors concluded that frequency and severity of IFN-α–associated depression during melanoma treatment are dose-dependent.