People with brain tumours may experience epilepsy, memory problems and fatigue. Depression is also common and doctors might choose to treat this with antidepressants, since antidepressants are thought to be effective in other patients. However, antidepressants could be less effective, or could cause more side-effects, in patients with brain tumours.
The review authors researched whether any drugs have been proven to be effective, and whether they cause significant side-effects when prescribed to treat depression in patients with brain tumours. They searched the medical journal literature to find high-quality studies comparing the effectiveness of any one drug treatment for depression in patients with a brain tumour against another treatment. They also tried to find studies describing the side-effects of any such treatment. Despite a thorough search, the authors could not find any studies and so cannot make an informed decision as to whether any drug is of any benefit, or harm. The review authors conclude that it is important to research whether drugs can treat depression safely and effectively in people with brain tumours.