Assessing for suicide risk in depressed geriatric cancer patients

Although several studies have identified different factors that increase the risk for suicide in the elderly, depression, especially in cancer patients, puts people at even greater risk. In geriatric patients with co-morbid illnesses, depression is often undiagnosed or overlooked because of the assumption that it is to be expected. When patients with cancer are diagnosed with depression, it is imperative that clinicians have a clear-cut tool for assessing and identifying signs of suicidality in order to develop a treatment plan to manage the patient. This article delineates the steps involved in conducting a systematic suicide risk assessment in depressed elderly patients with cancer.