Brain tumor death risk in mental patients

Abstract

Several investigators have previously reported a low cancer mortality in mental patients. They hypothesized there were possibilities of actual exclusion between cancer and psychosis. On the other hand, some Authors warned that the reported association between psychiatric illness and cancer death might vary, depending on the used statistical methods. To clarify this problem, we have examined the incidence of deaths caused by malignant neoplasm, particularly from brain tumor, in the chronic patients of Bisceglie Psychiatric Hospital, evaluating either absolute or relative mortality rate analysis. Our results seem to suggest an increased absolute mortality from malignant brain tumor in mental patients.