The psychological treatment of cancer: the patient's confusion of the time for living with the time for dying.
It has been shown that it is possible to influence cancer growth by a form of intensive meditation, although it is not yet established whether it can be influenced to the point of cure. In working with these patients it has been observed that the course of the illness has often been influenced by the patient's confusion of the biologically appropriate time for living and the time for dying. Without recourse to any formal psychotherapy, the family physician aware of this reaction may be able to enhance the immune defences and increase the quality of life of such patients.
D000328:Adult; D003643:Death; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013997:Time Factors