Psychosocial Aspects of Living with Cancer: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Up until several years ago, little systematic effort was directed at developing an empirically based understanding of issues pertinent to psychosocial aspects of living with cancer. Recently, however, increased interest has been focused on this topic. This manuscript reviews over 100 articles, papers, and books written between 1960 and 1980 on the psychosocial impact of cancer on the adult patient and on methods of psychosocial treatment providing a “state of the art” appraisal of the area. A methodological critique of the research studies is provided as well.

Long-term psychological adjustment of acute leukemia survivors: impact of bone marrow transplantation versus conventional chemotherapy.

“…Following the seminal work of Koocher and O'Malley (12) with childhood cancer survivors, the prevalence and intensity of these psychosocial sequelae have recently been studied in several adult cancer survivor populations (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23). This burgeoning area of research has documented that many, but not all, cancer survivors are prone to post-treatment difficulties in psychological, vocational, interpersonal, and familial adjustment.…”

What is a psychological intervention? A metareview and practical proposal

“…Only 12 reviewers provided actual examples of interventions they had excluded. Those excluded by more than one reviewer were: psychoeducation or education (n 5 4), hypnosis (n 5 2), and Andersen [12] 1992 USA Narrative Adjustment and quality of life All cancer patients Andersen [13] 2002 USA Narrative All (none specified) All cancer patients Bausewein [14] 2006 UK Systematic review Breathlessness All cancer patients Bottomley [15] 1998 Belgium Narrative Depression All cancer patients Carey [16] 1988 USA Narrative Side effects of treatment Patients receiving chemotherapy Carlsen [17] 2005 Denmark Systematic review Depression Lung cancer Carlson [18] 2003 Canada Narrative Quality of life All cancer patients Carlson [19] 2000 Canada Narrative Adjustment Partners: all cancer types Chow [20] 2004 Canada Meta-analysis Survival All cancer patients Clark [21] 2003 USA Narrative Psychological distress All cancer patients Couper [22] 2006 Australia Systematic review Adjustment Partners: prostate cancer Cunningham [23] 1985 Canada Narrative Cancer growth All cancer patients Cwikel [24] 1999 Israel Systematic review Psychological and physical functioning All cancer patients Cwikel [25] 1997 Israel Systematic review Survival All cancer patients Dreher [26] 1997 Unknown Narrative Survival, quality of life, and medical outcomes All cancer patients Edwards [27] 2004 UK Systematic review All (none specified) Metastatic breast cancer Fawzy [28] 1999 USA Narrative All (none specified) All cancer patients Fawzy [4] 1995 USA Narrative All (none specified) All cancer patients Feinstein [29] 1983 USA Narrative Disease status All cancer patients Filshie [30] 1988 UK Narrative Pain All cancer patients Freidenbergs [31] 1982 USA Narrative All (none specified) All cancer patients Germino [32] 2001 USA Systematic review All (none specified) Prostate cancer Glanz [33] 1992 USA Systematic review Adjustment Breast cancer Goodwin [34] 2003 Canada Narrative Psychological distress Advanced breast cancer Greer [35] 1999 UK Narrative Disease status All cancer patients Greer [36] 2002 UK Narrative All (none specified) All cancer patients Hamilton [37]…”

An Evaluation of the Need for Psychosocial Counseling for Saudi Cancer Patients

“…This is found to be due to close association of serious physical symptoms with residual, recurrent, or advancing disease. 1,2,17 Since these conditions would necessitate further therapy, we compared patients who were in clinical remission and off therapy with those who were receiving cytotoxic therapy as to the incidence of chronic psychologic reactions to the cancer diagnosis. Patients who were receiving chemotherapy at one year from diagnosis did not have more difficulty in adapting to cancer stress than those who were off therapy.…”

“…2,13,17 Unlike their Western counterparts, however, Saudi cancer patients have to manage their psychosocial difficulties in a more restrictive family and social environment. Believing that cancer patients cannot tolerate the psychologic stress of knowing the cancer diagnosis, families of Saudi cancer patients refrain from open discussion of psychosocial issues related to the disease.…”

“…Even mentioning the word cancer incites feelings of fear, anxiety, and depression in many cultures. 1,2 The diagnosis of cancer in a patient results in a burst of emotional responses that lead to inquiries related to the treatment and prognosis but rarely to the psychosocial impact of cancer. Five-year cure rates and remission rates, important for family members, are of less importance for the patient if his quality of life and state of wellbeing are suboptimal for him.…”