Table 3.

Summary of the literature on cancer patients: distinctive DSM criteria for MDD and additional possible diagnostic criteria.

	Affective and cognitive	Somatic
DSM criteria distinctive for cancer     patients	• Depressed mood	• Weight loss/gain or appetite     disturbances
	• Anhedonia	• Insomnia/hypersomnia
	• Feelings of worthlessness/guilt	• Psychomotor retardation/agitation
	• Concentration difficulties	• Fatigue/loss of energy
Possible alternative criteria	• Social withdrawal/poor social     functioning/decreased talkativeness	• Bodily pain
	• Cannot be cheered up/flat affect	• Physical/functional limitations     beyond illness
	• Tearfulness	• Genital symptoms (i.e., loss of libido,     impaired sexual performance)
	• Brooding/pessimism
	• Not participating in treatment despite     ability to do so
	• Psychic anxiety (i.e., tension, worry,     apprehension)

Note: DSM criteria listed are those that appear to be the most valid for diagnosing depression in cancer.