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

Background.To prospectively examine cancer-related mortality in patients affected by major depression (MDD), Emilia Romagna Region (ERR), Northern Italy, during a 10-year period and compare it with 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 in the period 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.Amongst 13,351 patients suffering from MDD, 34,11% died of cancer.In comparison with the ERR population, the mortality for cancer was 86% (95% CI 1.69-2.04)higher among patients with MDD.As for site specific cancers, excess in mortality was significantly higher for gastrointestinal (oesophagus, 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.