Higher than normal plasma IL-6 concentrations were associated with a diagnosis of major depression in cancer patients. IL-6 may contribute to sickness behavior that has overlapping symptoms with major depression.

Approximately 25% of children with HIV disease exhibited clinically significant emotional or behavioral problems; however, even higher rates of psychological adjustment problems were found in healthy children. Children with HIV disease who have not been told their diagnosis and children who endorse more emotion-focused coping strategies tend to exhibit more psychological adjustment problems.

T h i s paper reviews evidence for a link between suicide or suicidal behavior and sexual orientation by (1) reviewing studies of the rates of completed and attempted suicides for gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) people compared to the general population; (2) examining risk factors that might explain any differences; ( 3 ) outlining opportunities for prevention; and (4) providing directions for future research. Studies suggest an elevated risk of suicide attempts among some cohorts of GLB people, particularly GLB youth. Evidence is also strong that GLB youth are at high risk for associated maladaptive risk behaviors. Mental health problems and substance abuse disorders are critical predisposing factors for GLB suicide, as for the general populations. Future prevention research should he guided by a model that incorporates both risk and resilience factors among GLB persons.

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This article reviews the challenge of diagnosing depression in patients with cancer. Major depression and depressive symptoms, although commonly encountered in medical populations, are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. This is especially true for patients with cancer in whom the diagnosis of major depression is clouded by neurovegetative symptoms that may be secondary to either cancer or depression. Well-established biological markers for major depression are proposed as diagnostic adjuncts in patients with cancer. Studies using biological markers in depressed patients with and without cancer are reviewed, and the implications of diminished immune function in depressed patients with cancer are discussed. The limited database on treatment of depression in patients with cancer also is reviewed. Treatment of depression in these patients improves their dysphoria and other signs and symptoms of depression, improves quality of life, and may improve immune function and survival time. Guidelines for future research are proposed.