IN a new study from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, Qiang Liu, and colleagues have identified a sharp decrease in cancer-related suicides since 2013. This exciting finding reflects improved cancer treatments and prevention strategies available. ‘Such analyses can promote the improvement of relevant policies aimed at improving the well-being and care of patients with cancer’ remarked the authors.
For this study, the researchers examined age-adjusted rates and trends of cancer-related suicides in the US, from 1975–2017. Data was taken from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, comprising 4,870,410 patients (51.2% female and 48.8% male) diagnosed with cancer across 1975–2017 in the US. The researchers used joinpoint regression to determine the annual percent change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) of age-adjusted rates of suicide. Of this cohort, 8,114 (0.16%) died by suicide, 81.7% of which were male, white (92.8%) and aged 50–79 years (72.5%).
Overall, results showed a gradual increase in cancer-related suicide rates from 1975 to 1989 (APC:2.6%; 95% CI:1.4-3.8) , followed by a gradual decrease from 1989 to 2013 (APC:-3.9%; 9.5% CI:4.4-3.4), and a sharper decrease from 2013–2017 (APC:-27.3; 95% CI:37.2-15.8). The team then went further, investigating any potential variations between sexes. For males, they noted a considerable decline between 1990–2003, followed by a significant increase. Whilst for females, in the general US population, suicide rates decreased from 1975–2000, and gradually rose since 2007. Overall, the researchers concluded that cancer-related suicide rates have decreased in both male and female patients in recent years, yet the suicide rate among the total US population is increasing.
‘By providing insights into the temporal trends of cancer-related suicides, our study contributes to the existing knowledge on the subject and may inform future interventions and support strategies for patients with cancer at risk of suicide’ concluded Liu, highlighting the significance of the study.
Helena Bradbury, EMJ
Reference
Liu Q et al. Trends in cancer-related suicide in the United States: a population-based epidemiology study spanning 40 years of data. Transl Psychiatry. 2024;14(213).
