A Pilot Trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Depression in Patients With Prostate, Colorectal, Lung and Pancreatic Cancer

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a brief, manualized therapy that has shown efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in several controlled trials. This study will test the efficacy of IPT in a group of prostate, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer patients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. We will test the efficacy of IPT using a variety of outcome measures at different time points of the treatment. Those scales will evaluate the patient's depressive symptoms, psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Patients that are deemed eligible for the study will have IPT for twelve weeks. Patients will receive twelve 50-minute sessions over 16 weeks. To facilitate access to treatment, sessions 1,2,3,4, 8 and 12 will be in person, while all others will in be person or over the telephone according to the patient's choice. Sessions will be audiotaped and periodically reviewed by experienced supervisors to assess therapist's adherence to IPT technique. This taping will be optional and is covered in a separate consent form. This pilot study is to prove feasibility and acceptability of IPT in this population and to show preliminary efficacy.