03 Apr Suicide Risk Increased in Cancer Patients

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Calati

Raffaella Calati, Psy.D., Ph.D.
University of Montpellier
INSERM U 1061: Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research
Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Post Acute Care
Lapeyronie Hospital, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
Montpellier, France

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: A number of previous original studies investigated suicidal thoughts and behaviours in cancer patients, finding them to be higher than those in the general population. However, to our knowledge, we performed the first meta-analysis on this link, pooling all the published data to calculate the size of this increased risk.

Our main finding is an increased suicide risk in patients with cancer compared to individuals without it.

It should be underlined that the analyses presented are the first stage in our work, since at the moment we are analyzing a higher number of studies and we are planning to control for confounders, not considered in our first analyses. This means that the exact strength of this association will be more precisely known.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: The take home message is clear: a diagnosis of cancer is an extremely stressful event to most patients and it could represent a driving factor for suicide. Thus, the assessment of suicide risk in patients with cancer is crucial. We suggest screening suicidal thoughts and behaviours, together with anxiety and depressive symptoms, in cancer patients, in particular during the period immediately subsequent to the diagnosis of cancer. In this way it could be possible to identify patients who would benefit of a psychotherapeutic treatment and/or a pharmacological one to help them to face the delicate moment they are living.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Longitudinal studies are needed as well as studies focused on specific psychotherapeutic treatments targeting suicidal thoughts and behaviours in cancer patients.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response: A related issue is the euthanasia in these patients. Since cancer increases the propensity to express suicidal ideation, psychiatrists and psychologists should be involved in the physician-assisted suicide evaluations.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:
2017 European Congress of Psychiatry poster:

RISK OF SUICIDE MORTALITY AMONG CANCER PATIENTS: A META-ANALYSIS OF OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES Secondary results: No difference has been found concerning both SA and SI. The majority of the included studies have a high quality at the STROBE statement. (a) INSERM U1061, La Colombière Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Psychiatric Emergency & Post-Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France (b) Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States; Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States (c) Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Clinical and Health Psychology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy

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Last Updated on April 4, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD