To assess the quality of life in patients diagnosed with colon malignant tumors and secondary depressive disorders, during medium-term trazodone treatment.

A group of 19 patients, mean age 51.2, diagnosed with malignant colon tumor, were referred for depressive symptoms that negatively influenced their functionality and adherence to oncologic therapy. All these patients were diagnosed with major depressive episode and received trazodone 237.5 mg mean daily dose for 24 week. Patients were evaluated at baseline and every 4 weeks using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items (HAMD), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Clinical Global Impressions- Severity/Improvement (CGI-S/I) and Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI). A self-rated visual analogic scale (VAS) was used as an instrument for the patient's side effects related discomfort and improvement in the quality of life.

Patients responded well to trazodone therapy, as the final HAMD (−15.2, p < 0.01) and GAF (+22.3, p < 0.01) scores reflected. Reduction of insomnia correlated highly with improvement in life quality (.52), followed by decreased anxiety (.43). Also, GAF and CGI-I scores improved, from mean baseline values of 46.9 and 4.8, to 72.2 and 2.1 respectively. The quality of life scales regarding health, family relations and social relations from the QOLI registered significant improvement compared to baseline (+12.3%, +10.2% and +11.5% respectively, p < 0.01). On VAS the self-appreciation of the life quality improvement increased significantly, with 6.2 points.

Treatment of depressive episodes associated with colonic cancer increases patients' life quality and trazodone is an efficient agent for this indication.