LAUSR

### What you need to know A 54 year old man asks his doctor for a sleeping tablet. He has recently been diagnosed with a Dukes B adenocarcinoma of the rectum and seems low in mood. Although he has been given a good prognosis, has completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and is booked for curative surgery shortly, he expresses doubts that he will live much longer. His doctor wonders if he might be depressed or anxious, and how best to address this. Depression and anxiety are more common in patients with cancer, and they are associated with poorer quality of life and cancer survival.12 This article offers advice on how to recognise these disorders, and when to offer referral for specialist advice. During the assessment, form an impression about whether the patient has depression: ### History Explore current mood and difficulties with sleep. Facilitate disclosure by acknowledging that some patients may feel depressed or anxious after a cancer diagnosis, even when receiving lifesaving treatment.