Objective: This study aimed to evaluate depression among Jordanian patients with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study targeted female Jordanian patients with breast cancer who were receiving active treatment at King Abdullah University Hospital in Jordan. The se- verity of depression was assessed using the PHQ-9 scale, followed by analysis of the Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels.

Results: A total of 300 patients participated in this study (mean age 45.3 years). Of the 300 participants, 41% (n = 123) were classified as depressed (PHQ-9 ≥ 5), and 59% (n = 177) were classified as nondepressed (PHQ-9 < 5). The prevalence of depression was 41.6% according to the PHQ-9 scale. Of these, 20.8%, 66.6%, and 13.6% had mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the likelihood of depression was higher with increased age, being married, and having a higher education (p < 0.05). Somatic presentation of depression, mainly sleep problems and loss of energy, were the most prevalent symptoms among patients. An inverse association was found between PHQ-9 scores and BDNF levels. ROC curve analysis for BDNF serum, predicting depression, yielded the following indices: AUC = 0.737 (95% CI 0.645-0.830), with 90.1% sensitivity and 82.5% (1-specificity). Patients with mild depression had a significantly higher level of BDNF serum than those with moderate or severe depression.

Conclusions: A substantial number of Jordanian patients with breast cancer have been suffering from depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. The adoption of multiple screening approaches allows for the initiation of early management of depression.