Study Overview and Measures
PERIPHERAL inflammatory cell counts were linked to depression prevalence in NHANES adults with a history of solid tumors. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005–2018, the researchers analyzed 2,926 adults aged 20 years and older with solid tumors. Depression status and severity were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. Inflammatory biomarkers were derived from blood count measurements. Regression analyses evaluated associations between inflammatory biomarkers and depression prevalence, and sensitivity analyses were used to assess robustness.
Depression Patterns Across Cancer Types
The analysis reported depression in 25.80% of participants, including mild (15.52%), moderate (8.95%), and severe (1.33%) categories. Digestive system cancers were associated with a higher prevalence of depression (odds ratio 1.63), and reproductive system cancers were also associated with higher prevalence (odds ratio 1.47). The results indicated variation in depression prevalence by cancer system grouping within the cohort.
Peripheral Inflammatory Cell Counts in Subgroup Findings
In subgroup analyses focused on colorectal cancer, female sex was positively associated with depression prevalence (odds ratio 2.33). Neutrophil counts above 6.4 were associated with depression (odds ratio 4.02), and monocyte counts above 0.8 were associated (odds ratio 3.21). In a subgroup analysis of uterine tumors, age under 45 years was associated with depression prevalence (odds ratio 1.826).
A sensitivity analysis in patients with colorectal cancer with mild depressive symptoms indicated the observed associations were robust. The authors reported that these findings highlight potential relevance of peripheral inflammatory cell counts in understanding depression in people with solid tumors, and they noted that longitudinal studies are warranted to explore temporal and biological relationships underlying these associations.
Reference: Wang Z et al. Association of peripheral inflammatory cell counts with depression among cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study based on the NHANES dataset. Support Care Cancer. 2026;34(2):73.
