Cancer Diagnosis Increases Risk Of Heart Attack, Suicide

A Swedish study released yesterday found that patients diagnosed with cancer faced a higher risk of suicide or cardiovascular death. The study, which examined the records of more than six million Swedes, found that patients who received a cancer diagnosis were 12.6 percent more likely to commit suicide and 5.6 more likely to die of a heart attack within the first week after being diagnosed. Researchers believe that the stress of the news leads to the increased risks. The study came the same day as a new campaign to cut down on unnecessary medical tests. The doctors in charge of that campaign claim that unnecessary tests drive up health care costs and can actually put a patient’s health at risk, including by offering potentially incorrect diagnoses.

-Zachary Bernstein