Incidence and mortality of malignant diseases in schizophrenia, challenges in healthcare

AI Summary

Cancer-specific mortality is consistently higher in people with schizophrenia despite inconsistent evidence on incidence.
Worse oncological outcomes arise from complex, multilevel factors: biological, genetic, diagnostic delays, unequal treatment access, and provider and system-level barriers.
Improving care organisation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and structured decision-making support are key intervention points to reduce disparities and cancer mortality.

AI Summary

The aim of this review is to summarize data on cancer incidence and mortality among patients with schizophrenia compared with the general population, to systematize the possible biological, genetic, and healthcare-related explanations for the observed differences, and to outline factors contributing to unfavorable outcomes.

Although epidemiological data on the incidence of malignant diseases are inconsistent, available meta-analyses consistently indicate higher cancer-specific mortality in schizophrenia.

In the final section, we present potential points of intervention, which may contribute to better quality of cancer care and reduced mortality in patients with schizophrenia via improvements in care organization, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, and structured support for decision-making.

Basic summary

Orv Hetil. 2026 Jun 14;167(24):930-936. doi: 10.1556/650.2026.33573. Print 2026 Jun 14.

ABSTRACT

Patients with schizophrenia have a markedly shorter life expectancy than the general population, to which, in addition to suicide, somatic illnesses, including malignant diseases, also contribute substantially. The aim of this review is to summarize data on cancer incidence and mortality among patients with schizophrenia compared with the general population, to systematize the possible biological, genetic, and healthcare-related explanations for the observed differences, and to outline factors contributing to unfavorable outcomes. We discuss in detail the possible causes of diagnostic delay, inequalities in access to oncological treatments, patient-, provider-, and system-level barriers affecting therapeutic decision-making, as well as differences observed in treatment practices. Although epidemiological data on the incidence of malignant diseases are inconsistent, available meta-analyses consistently indicate higher cancer-specific mortality in schizophrenia. Based on the evidence reviewed, poorer oncological outcomes cannot be attributed to a single factor but rather result from complex, multilevel factors. In the final section, we present potential points of intervention, which may contribute to better quality of cancer care and reduced mortality in patients with schizophrenia via improvements in care organization, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, and structured support for decision-making. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(24): 930-936.

PMID:42295848 | DOI:10.1556/650.2026.33573

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