Our researchers conducted a comparative study to assess the prevalence of depression and sexual dysfunction in patients with kidney cancer associated with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease—the most common cause of hereditary kidney cancer—compared to patients with sporadic kidney cancer. Thirty patients with VHL and 393 patients with sporadic cancer were enrolled, all of whom were assessed using validated questionnaires: the Beck Depression Inventory for depression, the Female Sexual Function Index for women, and the International Index of Erectile Function for men.
The results showed a significant difference in the psychological profile of the two groups. Ninety-three percent of patients with VHL had clinically relevant depressive symptoms, compared with 74% of patients with sporadic tumors. Multivariate analysis showed that VHL disease was independently associated with higher depression scores, with a particularly marked difference in older patients. Young age and female gender also emerged as risk factors for depression. No significant differences in sexual function were found between the two groups.
These findings have important clinical implications. Patients with hereditary cancer syndromes face unique challenges: awareness of an incurable disease, difficult decisions regarding family communication and procreation, and often a family history of cancer-related bereavement. It is therefore inappropriate to offer them the same care pathway as for sporadic cancers. Dedicated psychological support should be integrated into the care pathway from the moment of diagnosis, with particular attention to the communication and interpersonal skills of the multidisciplinary team.
Re C, Larcher A, Cei F, Belladelli F, Salerno L, Iannace F, Cella L, Barretta A, Rowe I, Corea F, Guazzarotti G, De Cobelli F, Van Leewaarde RS, Clerici S, Schiavina R, Bertini R, Montorsi F, Capitanio U, Salonia A. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Individuals With Hereditary or Sporadic Kidney Cancer: A Comparative Study of Depression and Sexual Function. JCO Oncol Adv. 2025;2(1):e2500051. doi:10.1200/OA-25-00051.
