DO CANCER SUICIDES DIFFER FROM OTHERS

Based on a nationwide psychological autopsy study comprising all suici des committed in Finland during one year (n = 1397), victims who had s uffered from cancer (n = 60) were compared with other suicides. Cancer suicides were significantly older and more often male, which required adjusting the control group (n = 60) for age and sex. The cancer suic ides had more pain and were more often physically disabled. The social network of cancer patients was stronger: 93% of them and 65% of the c ontrol cases had a significant other. Family histories of mental disor der were more common in the control group. Cancer was the main underly ing factor in the suicide process in 62% of the cancer patients and a contributing factor in 23%. Background factors of the suicide process of the cancer patients with terminal illness (n = 18) were different f rom those with cancer in remission and from victims among the general population. The frequency of physical symptoms and of depression befor e suicide in cancer patients emphasizes the need for more competent pa lliative care and psychological support for cancer patients.