Suicidality in Patients with Brain Tumors: A Brief Literature Review with Clinical Exemplar

• Main Authors: Alessandra Costanza, Francesco Zenga, Roberta Rudà, Andrea Amerio, Andrea Aguglia, Gianluca Serafini, Mario Amore, Guido Bondolfi, Isabella Berardelli, Khoa Dinh Nguyen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
• Series: Medicina
• Subjects: brain tumor; glioblastoma; glioma; suicide; suicidal ideation; suicide attempt
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/56/12/725

<i>Background</i>: Suicidality and brain tumors are two life-threatening conditions and, somewhat unexpectedly, the associations between them have scarcely been reported. <i>Objective</i>: In this study, we aimed to provide a brief literature review of epidemiological studies on suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal behavior (SB) in patients with brain tumors. To illustrate various aspects of brain tumors that potentially underlie the emergence of suicidality, the review is supplemented with a clinical exemplar of a long-term survivor of brain tumor (glioblastoma) who experienced persistent SI. Furthermore, we discuss putative both neurobiological (including anatomical and immunological) and psychosocial mechanisms that might be accountable for the development of SI and SB in patients with brain tumors. <i>Conclusions</i>: While the etiology of this phenomenon appears to be multifactorial and still remains a subject of much debate, it is of critical importance to identify patients for which a psychiatric evaluation could recognize, in a timely manner, a possible suicide risk and alleviate the deep related suffering, by appropriate psychopharmacological and supportive and psychotherapeutic interventions.