India, Oct. 8 -- A new study suggests that cancer patients taking common antidepressants may have a lower risk of death after starting immunotherapy.
Researchers studied adults with depression or anxiety and solid tumors who began treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors between 2015 and 2025. The study compared 1,567 patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, sertraline and escitalopram, with 1,567 patients taking benzodiazepines, which are commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep problems.
During two years of follow-up, 23.5% of SSRI users died, compared with 34.4% of benzodiazepine users. After accounting for when deaths occurred, SSRI use was linked to about a 37% lower risk of death. Howe...