Childhood cancer survivors experience suicidal thoughts
A new study has revealed that adult childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of contemplating suicide, even after their cancer treatments have long ended.
|Last Updated: Oct 25, 2009, 08:17 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Washington: A new study has revealed that adult childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of contemplating suicide, even after their cancer treatments have long ended.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have shown that those who were in poor health or who had cancer-related pain or treatment-related chronic conditions were at greater risk for suicidal thoughts.
"Our findings underscore the importance of recognizing the connection between childhood cancer survivors` physical health issues and their risk for suicidal thoughts, as some of the conditions may be treatable," said Dr Christopher Recklitis, MPH, the study`s lead author and a psychologist and director of research in the Perini Family Survivors`` Center at Dana-Farber.
During the study, the researchers analyzed data from 9,126 adult survivors of pediatric cancers who were part of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), a multi-institutional study coordinated through St. Jude Children`s Research Hospital in Memphis and found that 7.8 percent of the survivors reported having suicidal thoughts, compared with 4.5 percent of the control group.
About 10.6 pct of the survivors of brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers were the most likely to experience suicidal thoughts, while 6.7pct of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors were the least likely.
"Although the vast majority of survivors reported no suicidal ideation, the significant minority of survivors with thoughts of suicide is a serious concern," said Recklitis.
Childhood cancer survivors, due to the intensive treatments they received, are at risk for developing chronic medical problems later in life.
The researchers found that health problems in adulthood were very strongly associated with the survivors` suicidal thoughts. For example, 28.8 percent of survivors reporting ‘poor’ overall health had suicide ideation, compared with only 3.3 percent of survivors who said their health was ‘excellent’.
Being physically disabled was associated with suicide ideation, as were the number and severity of chronic medical conditions, and cancer related pain. Even when depression was accounted for, physical health problems remained a significant predictor of suicidal thoughts.
The study appears in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.