Prevalence of depression among breast cancer patients in Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: While breast cancer (BC) patients face a heightened risk of depression, regional variations in prevalence within Asia remain underexplored. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence of depression among BC patients in Asia, and to explore variations by region and treatment modality. Methods: We searched multiple databases (e.g., PubMed, Embase, CNKI) for studies reporting depression prevalence in Asian adult BC patients up to May 2025. Inclusion required the use of standardized diagnostic or validated screening tools. Data extraction and quality assessment followed standard systematic review procedures. Pooled prevalence estimates were derived using a random-effects model in R software. Results: The meta-analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of depression among Asian breast cancer patients was 28% (95% CI: 0.20-0.36). However, subgroup analyses were inconclusive regarding differences by region or treatment, likely due to limited representation within each subgroup. Conclusions: The findings suggest a high incidence of depression in breast cancer patients, underscoring the importance of integrating psychological interventions into their treatment plans. However, as analyses for regional or treatment-related differences were inconclusive, future research-particularly with larger samples from diverse settings-is needed to clarify these associations and better inform the development of tailored intervention strategies for BC patients across diverse Asian regions.