Patients with cancer at greater risk of suicide

A cancer diagnosis can be devastating.

Now, new research shows that patients diagnosed with cancer have a risk of suicide 26% higher than the general population.

A variety of factors contribute to the elevated risk, including geography, race and ethnicity, economic status and clinical characteristics, American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers found.

The study also showed a decline in elevated risk for cancer patients compared with the general population from 67% in 2000 to 16% in 2016.

Starting Tuesday, all U.S. veterans can get free suicide crisis care at any health facility