Suicide in Cancer Patients in California, 1997–2006

Abstract

The objective of this study was to measure suicide risk in cancer patients and compare it with the general population. Suicide rates were based on 1,168 suicides in 1,123,528 cancer patients in California from 1997–2006 and were studied by race/ethnicity, sex, site, stage, and marital status. Suicide in cancer patients is 2.3 times the general population with 81% in the non-Hispanic Whites, and half within the first 2 years post diagnosis. In men, it rapidly increases by age to a high plateau in the early forties. Metastatic cancers and those of the prostate, lung and bronchus, pancreas, stomach, esophagus, and oral cavity in men and breast in women were associated with significantly higher risk. Cancer patients are at higher risk of suicide and should be specifically targeted for preventive efforts post diagnosis.

Keywords:

• California
• cancer
• cancer registry
• rate ratio
• standardized mortality ratio
• suicide

Acknowledgments

This work was partially presented at the “Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)” in Chicago, June 2011, and the “14th World Congress on Lung Cancer (WCLC)” in Amsterdam, July 2011.

Notes

Note. AAR-CC: Age adjusted rate per 100,000 person-year in cancer patients.

AAR-GP: Age adjusted rate per 100,000 in general population.

RR: Rate Ratio, SMR: Standardized Mortality Ratio.

NH: Non-Hispanic; AIAN: American Indian or Alaskan Native; PI: Pacific Islander.

*Statistically significant with p < 0.05.

Note. NH: Non-Hispanic; AAR: Age Adjusted Rate; RR: Rate Ratio;.

*Statistically significant with p < 0.05; ∼ : Statistics not presented.

Note. +RR: Rate Ratio.

*Statistically significant at p < 0.05.

**Single: Never married; Married including common law partner; Divorced & Separated.

Note. +RR: Rate Ratio.

*Statistically significant at p < 0.05.