Cancer and Suicide

I just googled "cancer" and "suicide," and the third result that popped up on the list was this category on my blog: Suicide

That surprised me, because I don't write about suicide all that often, although it is a topic that concerns me. 

The National Cancer Institute says that suicides among cancer patients are probably under-reported, possibly because of a "reluctance" to report these suicide deaths.

Another result of my google search is a recent story about a cancer patient who killed herself. She was, according to the story, the first person to die using Washington state's new assisted suicide law. I live in Washington, and I voted against that law, even though I do think that we all (cancer patients or the temporarily able bodied) have a right to end our lives if and when we choose. 

Here's the link to that story: Cancer Patient First to Use Washington's Assisted Suicide Law

Here are some risk factors for suicide in the "cancer population," according to the NCI. (Apologies for the change in font--it's a glitch in Typepad.)

Risk factors for suicide in the cancer population are as follows:

General risk factors

• history of psychiatric disorders, especially those associated with impulsive behavior (e.g., borderline personality disorders)
• family history of suicide
• history of suicide attempts
• depression
• substance abuse
• recent death of a friend or spouse
• few social supports

Cancer-specific risk factors

• oral, pharyngeal, and lung cancers (often associated with heavy alcohol and tobacco use)
• advanced stage of disease and poor prognosis
• confusion/delirium
• inadequately controlled pain
• presence of deficit symptoms (e.g., loss of mobility, loss of bowel and bladder control, amputation, sensory loss, paraplegia, inability to eat and to swallow, exhaustion, fatigue)