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The suicide rates for most cancer sites in females were similar to each other, except for colorectal and cervical cancer, which were lower. Among males, the highest rates were for head and neck cancer, liver cancer and myeloma. Rates among bladder, oesphagus and lung and bronchus cancer were no higher than for other male cancers. Leukaemia, prostate and brain cancers had a lower suicide risk than other male cancers.

Both sexes were more likely to commit suicide if their cancer had already spread from its primary site to distant organs by the time it was diagnosed, with a higher suicide rate being detectable for men with intermediate stages.

Another difference between the sexes was that the highest suicide rate among men was immediately after diagnosis, whereas among women it appeared more or less constant over time.

Both sexes had an increased risk if they were divorced, but the risk for men was more than halved if they were married. For women it was about a third lower.

African-Americans had a lower risk, consistent with the lower risk for African-Americans amongst the general population, possibly due to religious beliefs, family support and a cultural rejection of suicide: the rate among African-American males with cancer was in fact more in line with that of female cancer patients.

"Many of the extremes of risk seen within the male cancer cohort were not as apparent among the females," said Dr Kendal. "Particularly with sites involving greatest risk for males, such as head and neck cancer and myeloma, it looks as if issues around quality of life, coping, symptom control and psychological distress were important. The almost five-fold fewer recorded female suicides could mean that lower statistical power might account for the lack of a similar findings, or it could be that female cancer patients did experience similar problems but were less inclined
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Contact: Margaret Willson
m.willson@mwcommunications.org.uk
44-015-367-72181
European Society for Medical Oncology
18-Oct-2006