Psycho-social factors and cancer

Conduct medical research in recent decades, psychological and social factors of cancer is the major factor affecting one of the same, cancer patients the adverse psychological and behavioral responses can also seriously affect the development of disease and patients survival.Psychological and social factors on the relationship between cancer, mainly involve the following aspects understanding: ① have some emotional or personality characteristics of their higher incidence of cancer; ② direct impact on the development and prognosis of cancer endocrine and immune defense functions of the patients with my emotional and behavioral responses; ③ have some psychological and behavioral characteristics of the patients, their longer-term survival, ④ use emotional support and behavioral intervention and other psychological treatment, cancer patients can The average survival period is extended.
(1) life events and the occurrence of cancer
Many domestic and foreign research found that cancer patients prior to the onset of the high incidence of life events, particularly in the areas of family unfortunate incidents, such as the death of a spouse, next of kin of death, divorce, etc. notable.Leshan (1966) pointed out that the tumor before symptoms appear the most obvious psychological factors on the intimate feelings of loss; Author (1987) survey found that cancer patients prior to the onset of families unfortunate incident rate than the control group patients ordinary high.The report also similar studies are many.In a group receiving psychological treatment of cancer patients, the majority of patients in the six months prior to the onset of the eight-year period had had relatives (spouses, parents, children) for bereavement blow, and the control group were much less.In addition, the widows of the relatively high incidence of tumors; single women, such as the high incidence of breast cancer.All that proved negative life and the occurrence of cancer are associated.
(2) reaction, emotional response and the occurrence of cancer
Further research also shows that life events and the occurrence of cancer, depends on the individual life events method of response.Those who are not adept at Xuanyi life events caused by negative emotional experience, namely, accustomed to using Keji, suppressed coping style, their higher incidence of cancer.For example, Grossarth (1980), to express their feelings and emotions suppressed cancer incidence is the psychological characteristics of the author (1987) and the high Beiling (1989), also shows that cancer patients setbacks on the negative emotional response than the control Group obvious.
(3) personality characteristics and the incidence of cancer
Certain personality characteristics such as over-cautious, careful, patient, the pursuit of perfection, emotionally unstable and are unable to convey and disperse negative emotion, and so on, often in the same individual in the living environment more easily "encounter" life events, in similar Unfortunately the incident also easily lead to more disappointment, sadness, depression and other emotional experience.These personality characteristics and prove the occurrence of cancer associated.For example, the author (1987) EPQ Investigation found cancer patients at the lower scale of E and N scores higher, with the personality characteristics of consistency.In recent years, the medical profession has the above-mentioned acts of personality characteristics summarized as the "C-type acts," and is exploring C-type behavior and the relationship between cancer.
(4) psychological and social factors and the development of cancer
Discussed earlier on life events, coping, emotions, personality factors such as cancer and the relationship between most of its information from the retrospective study.These factors can certainly cancer is the cause rather than the result (that is, before the cancer more negative factors), the conclusion is hard.By contrast, on tumor growth and proliferation process and the development of cancer and the prognosis of the patients psychological characteristics of the impact, the more positive conclusions.Many writers (such as Stoll B, 1982) that has the following characteristics of the psychological behavior of some cancer patients, the mean survival time was significantly longer: ① can always have hope and confidence; ② timely expression or vent their negative emotions; ③ can actively engage in meaningful and fun activities; ④ with the people around them to maintain close contact.On the contrary, the negative psychological and behavioral response is to accelerate the deterioration of cancer process.Therefore, the specific combination of cancer patients psychological and behavioral problems, the psychological need for a timely intervention to improve their quality of life and enhance their confidence and improve their psychosomatic reaction process, have important clinical significance.Psychoneuroimmunology Studies have shown that psychological and social factors, mainly through-mediated mechanisms of cancer incidence and impact of the vesting (Baker, 1987).For example, exciting people into depression, frustration, and adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH secretion increased, and even inhibit the normal function of the immune system; survey showed that the widowed significantly lower lymphocyte transfer function that experienced the tragic events of immune standby bad; animal experiments also proved that, in a tense evade conditioned reflex test environment, a number of immune dysfunction in mice, which were inoculated subcutaneously 6 G3HED lymph sarcoma cell growth and the success rate of increase.