Clinical depression affects many people and is associated with several risk factors that include being diagnosed with a serious medical illness such as breast cancer. Objectives of this chapter were to elucidate the prevalence of depression in breast cancer patients, the impact of depression as it pertains to life functioning and quality of life, highlight the bidirectional relationship of breast cancer and depression, outline assessment strategies and measurement issues relevant to assessing depression, and review the treatment outcome literature addressing the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for depressed breast cancer patients. Depression is highly prevalent among breast cancer patients, significantly impacts life functioning, may be associated with cancer progression and mortality, and is bidirectionally related to breast cancer through several pathways. Many behavioral assessment strategies may be useful for recognizing depression in breast cancer patients, and, although methodological weaknesses are evident, several psychosocial interventions show substantial promise as effective treatments for depressed breast cancer patients.
