Depressive symptoms and shorter survival in lung cancer: the role of leukocyte telomere length.

Objective: To examine the association between depressive symptoms, leukocyte telomere length-a marker of cellular ageing, and survival amongst lung cancer patients.

Design: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer were recruited from a university-affiliated cancer center clinic.

Main Outcome: Patients ( = 67) reported on depressive symptoms and provided a blood sample for leukocyte telomere length assessment at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up.