PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC PROSTATE ADENOCARCINOMAUNDERGOING CASTRATION: EXPERIENCE OF THE MEDICAL ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT, HASSAN II UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, FEZ, 100 CASES REPORTED

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and psychological symptoms such as depression frequently affect patients. Castration, whether medical or surgical, is often part of a combined therapeutic approach, including chemotherapy and/or new-generation hormone therapy. Castration lowers testosterone levels, which can contribute to depressive symptoms, as testosterone plays a role in regulating mood and emotional well-being. Assessing and managing the psychological impact of castration is therefore essential to ensure comprehensive patient care. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression in patients with metastatic prostate cancer undergoing medical castration. Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive, and analytical, cross-sectional study including 100 patients with metastatic prostate cancer receiving medical castration at the Medical Oncology Department of Hassan II University Hospital, Fez. Data were collected through structured clinical interviews conducted by a psychologist, with informed consent obtained from all participants. The Beck Depression Inventory, adapted to the Moroccan context, was used to quantitatively assess depressive symptoms. This 21-item questionnaire rates the severity of depression on a 0–3 scale for each symptom. Based on depression severity, patients received tailored interventions ranging from supportive psychotherapy to combined psychotherapy and antidepressant treatments, coordinated by psychiatrists and psychotherapists.