Suicides among Danish patients with cancer: 1971 to 1986

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Cancer diagnosis is a significant life event.
• Understanding associated mortality risks is crucial for patient care.
• Previous studies have explored cancer patient mortality, but specific suicide risk trends require ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the risk of suicide and violent death in cancer patients.
• To identify specific cancer types and stages associated with elevated suicide risk.
• To examine temporal trends in suicide risk among cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Cancer Registry and mortality files in Denmark (1971-1986).
• Linked cancer diagnoses with subsequent death records for 296,331 patients.
• Calculated relative risks (RR) for suicide and violent death, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

• A total of 1,637 violent deaths occurred, including 568 suicides.
• The relative risk (RR) of suicide was significantly elevated in the first two years post-diagnosis.
• Non-localized cancers showed a higher RR (1.9) compared to localized cancers (1.3).
• High suicide risks were noted for brain, lung, stomach, rectum, and kidney cancers.
• Male patients with lymphoma or pancreatic cancer also had elevated risks.
• A surprising significant increase in suicide risk was observed in more recent years.

Conclusions:

• Cancer patients, particularly in the initial two years post-diagnosis, have an increased suicide risk.
• The risk is modulated by cancer stage and specific tumor types.
• The observed recent increase in suicide risk warrants further investigation and targeted interventions.