Risk of Suicide Mortality Among Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Abstract

IntroductionSuicide rates among patients with cancer are higher than ones in the general population.ObjectiveThis meta-analysis aims to estimate the suicide risk in patients with cancer.MethodsWe searched Medline, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane library to identify articles published before July 1, 2016, examining the association between suicide [death (SD), attempt (SA), ideation (SI)] and any form of diagnosed cancer.ResultsWe initially identified 4880 records and after unsuitable studies were removed, our search yielded 102 publications of which 14 were used in the meta-analyses. Patients with cancer had higher risk of SD (seven studies, 247.869 participants; odds ratio [OR] = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.22–1.89, P = 0.0002) compared with those without cancer (among case-control studies focused on SD versus living controls). Among studies focused on SD versus other deaths, patients with cancer had higher risk of SD (two studies, 23.839 participants; OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.03–2.27, P = 0.03). No difference has been detected for risk of SA (four studies, 8.147.762 participants) and for SI (two studies, 37.879 participants).Since publication bias was detected, the “trim and fill” method was applied. The majority of the included studies have a high quality at the STROBE statement.ConclusionThe assessment of suicide risk in this population is crucial.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.