Depressive states are frequent complications among people suffering from cancer. Often depressive symptoms are a normal reaction or a direct effect of such a severe and life-threatening illness. It is therefore not easy to establish when depressive symptoms become a proper disorder and need to be treated with drugs. Current scientific literature reveals that depressive symptoms, even when mild, can have a relevant impact on the course of cancer, reducing the overall quality of life and affecting compliance with anti-cancer treatment, as well as possibly increasing the cancer mortality rate.

Oncologists and other medical subspecialists often struggle to recognize significant depressive symptoms, in part due to the overlap between depressive symptoms and cancer- and treatment-related neurovegetative symptoms. More than 50 questionnaires have been developed for distress and depression screening. of which have been assessed rigorously. Although the use of distress screening is increasing,most oncologists avoid using long questionnaires to screen for depressive symptoms owing to time and logistical constraints. Ultra-short screening methods focused on depressed mood and anhedonia has been found to have case-finding and screening abilities that match or exceed those of longer instruments.

Aims and Scope: