Dose-dependent development of depressive symptoms during adjuvant interferon-{alpha} treatment of patients with malignant melanoma.

Background: Adjuvant IFN-α treatment for patients with malignant melanoma is often complicated by depression. The influence of dosage, however, is unknown.

Objective: The authors sought to elucidate this dosage effect.

Method: Using 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.

Results: Patients receiving high-dose induction treatment had significantly higher depression scores after 4 weeks, and significantly more patients in the high-dose group developed depression.

Conclusion: The authors concluded that frequency and severity of IFN-α-associated depression during melanoma treatment are dose-dependent.