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Washington: A recent study has found that head and neck cancer survivors are at an increased risk of suicide.
The Saint Louis University study is more likely to commit suicide than the general population.
"This problem of suicide is bigger than many realizes," said lead author Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters. "But to think that it might be an even bigger problem among cancer survivors is staggering."
More than 15.5 million people are living with a cancer diagnosis, and the number of cancer survivors is more than 20 million by 2026. Three percent of those diagnosed with cancer.
However, surviving cancer comes at a cost, Osazuwa-Peters said. In the immediate aftermath of diagnosis and treatment, the need to survive often overtakes concerning functionality and aesthetics. One-half of the head and neck cancer survivors become functionally disabled after treatment and are unable to return to work.
Persistent and lasting disfigurements or loss of skills may increase depression, psychological distress, fear of recurrence and suicidal ideation.
"This makes lifelong surveillance critical – being considered a cancer survivor," Osazuwa-Peters said. "Some cancer survivors unfortunately decide that they are dead rather than being alive."
The suicide rate among the head and neck cancer patients was compared to those diagnosed with prostate; bad; lung and bronchus; colon and rectum; urinary bladder; melanoma of the skin; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; kidney and renal pelvis; corpus and uterus; leukemia; pancreas; thyroid; stomach; liver and intrahepatic bile duct; Hodgkin lymphoma; brain and other nervous system; testis; ovary; and cervix uteri.
Head and neck cancer survivors and other disorders, including persistent and late effects of treatment, such as disfigurement and body image, swallowing difficulty, ototoxicity and depression. Bread issues and substance abuse are also more prevalent in this population.
The findings were originally published in the journal Cancer.
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