Work

Major depression and mortality from cancer: A 10-year Italian study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: To prospectively examine cancer-related mortality over a 10-year period in patients affected by major depression (MDD), Emilia Romagna Region (ERR), Northern Italy, and to compare these findings with those observed in the regional population. METHODS: The ERR Mental Health Registry was used to identify all patients aged ≥18 years who accessed the ERR mental health departments with an ICD-9CM diagnosis of MDD between 2008-2017. Information on deaths were retrieved from the ERR Cause of Death Registry. We calculated standardized mortality ratio using the regional population as the standard. RESULTS: Among 13,351 patients suffering from MDD, 34,11% died of cancer. In comparison with the ERR population, cancer mortality was 86% (95% CI 1.69-2.04) higher among patients with MDD. Site-specific analyses showed significantly increased mortality for gastrointestinal (esophagus, colon, rectosigmoid, rectum, anus, liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, pancreas), respiratory (trachea, bronchus and lung), uro-genital (breast, ovary and other genital organs, bladder, prostate, kidney, pelvis, ureter and unspecified urinary organs) and other cancers (melanoma, brain and other CNS tumors, lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the risk for people affected by MDD to have a higher mortality rate and shorter survival in comparison with the general population. These findings highlight the urgent need for greater attention to the physical health of psychiatric patients through optimal collaboration between mental health, oncology and primary care departments.

Source: European Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10048