Cancer patients do have a heightened risk for suicide, but the rate of suicide among this group has declined over the past few decades Improved outcomes for cancer patients, and better access to counseling and other services, are probably behind the trend Declines in suicide among people with cancer really picked up speed after about 2013 THURSDAY, May 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Even as suicide rates have risen among Americans generally, one group appears to be bucking that trend: People diagnosed with cancer. Experts are crediting improved access to counseling and other "psychosocial care" with easing the emotional toll of cancer and keeping more patients from making tragic decisions. Nevertheless, cancer patients still face elevated risks for suicide, noted a team led by of the National Cancer Center at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing.
“The cancer-related suicide rate is estimated to be double that of the general population in the United States," Liu's group noted in the study. "Notably, the risk of suicide in men is significantly higher compared to women. This heightened cancer-related suicide risk remains elevated for up to 15 years following their diagnosis.
" The new report was published May 27 in the journal In the study, Liu's team looked at data on over 5 million Americans who'd been diagnosed with cancer between 1975 and 2017. Of the more than 8,000 who died by suicide, most (82%) were male, white (93%) and older (73% were ages 50 to 79). Howev.
