Psychiatric evaluation of competency in cancer patients.

This study was conducted to investigate the profile of patients referred for psychiatric evaluation of competency among patients with cancer. Among the 1721 referred cancer patients, 43 (2.5%) were referred for competency evaluation. The most common reason for competency evaluation was refusal of test or treatment, and the common psychiatric diagnoses were adjustment disorders, delirium and personality disorders. Cancer patients with personality disorders were more likely to be evaluated as competent, while patients with delirium and dementia were often incompetent; those with adjustment disorders, major depression and psychotic illness could be either competent or incompetent. While these findings were almost consistent with those reported from previous studies, some results may be unique to cancer patients.