Suicidal behavior in women with breast cancer: a systematic review

Keywords

suicide - suicidal behavior - breast cancer

Background: Suicide represents an important public health problem worldwide, since it has been growing substantially as a cause of mortality in recent decades. Evidence suggests that cancer patients have increased risk of suicide once cancer diagnosis frequently leads to a worsening quality of life and significant psychological suffering. Since breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, this study aims to perform a systematic review of literature regarding the suicidal behavior in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Methods: This study is based on the criteria of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). The following databases were used: PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS), and Cochrane Library. The appropriate descriptors, or their equivalents, to define the search terms were based on the technical and scientific vocabulary of each database.

Results: Eleven articles were included in the present systematic review comprising a sample of 2.557.674 individuals with breast cancer from 08 different countries. The studies show that subjects with breast cancer have a higher risk of suicide comparing to the general population. Futhermore, data shows that during the first years after the diagnosis of breast cancer or in women under 50 years this risk is even higher. Another common risk factors associated with suicide behavior and breast cancer were undergoing mastectomy instead of breast-conserving surgery, not receiving radiotherapy, localized disease, living alone, higher income levels, and presence of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. In individuals who received chemotherapy or not there was no difference regarding suicidal behavior. Women with HER2-positive breast cancer had the highest incidence of suicide among the molecular subtypes, followed by the triple-negative breast cancer.

Conclusions: The great psychological vulnerability and higher predisposition to suicidal behavior in breast cancer subjects should be minimized by health policies in order to assess more closely this population, mainly particular subgroups at increased risk of suicide.

Corresponding author: Marcel Henrique Silva Moraes (e-mail: [e-mail]).

 

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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
06 May 2025