Suicidality in terminally ill Japanese patients with cancer.
BACKGROUND
The risk of suicide is higher in patients with cancer than in the general population, making end-of-life care of suicidal terminal patients with cancer critical. To identify factors and longitudinal changes associated with suicidality among terminally ill Japanese patients with cancer, a prospective cohort study was performed.


METHODS
Consecutive outpatients with cancer who registered with a palliative care unit participated. Structured interviews (e.g., Structured Clinical Interview for DSM- III-R [SCID]) were conducted to assess patient suicidal ideation (Ideation) and interest in requesting euthanasia (Interest) as main outcome measures of suicidality. Possible correlated factors also were investigated. The authors analyzed the data from 140 terminally ill patients with cancer at initial study participation (baseline) whose subsequent survival time was < 6 months. Of these 140 patients, 57 (40.7%) completed the follow-up assessment after admission to the unit.


RESULTS
At baseline, 8.6% of the patients had Ideation and 5.0% had Interest. Self-reported anxiety and depression was significantly associated with Ideation (P= 0.003). Changes in Ideation and Interest occurred in 38.6% and 15.8% of the patients, respectively. Ideation was more likely to change than Interest (P = 0.006). The current study did not identify factors that predict changes and occurrences of suicidal ideation and interest in requesting euthanasia.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidality can change even in terminally ill patients. End-of-life care that focuses on the psychologic distress of dying individuals may be a way of preventing suicide.
Akechi
Tatsuo
T
Division of Psycho-Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute East, Kashiwa, Japan.
Okuyama
Toru
T
Sugawara
Yuriko
Y
Nakano
Tomohito
T
Shima
Yasuo
Y
Uchitomi
Yosuke
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005065:Euthanasia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology*; D013727:Terminal Care