ABSTRACT
Explanation: Increased risk of suicide in patients with cancer is associated with male gender, advanced stage of disease, poor prognosis, delirium with poor impulse control, poor pain control, depression, hopelessness, history of psychiatric illness, history of previous suicidal attempt, family history of suicide, substance or alcohol abuse, social isolation, advanced age, presence of fatigue and extreme need for control. Patients with cancer have twice the risk of committing suicide as the general population. Hopelessness is even a stronger predictive factor than depression itself. Patients with cancer usually commit suicide by overdosage with analgesics or sedative drugs prescribed by their doctors. Men use violent means, such as hanging or gunshot, more often than women.
