Psychosocial stress and breast cancer: the inter-relationship between stress events, coping strategies and personality.
This quasi-prospective study of 2163 women attending a breast-screening clinic for a routine medical check-up indicates that certain types of coping strategies and personality dispositions predispose some women to an increased risk of developing breast cancer following the occurrence of a major life-event such as bereavement or other loss-related event. Regular exposure to stress situations appears to reduce the risk of a malignancy; experiencing a single, major life event was found to be potentially much more damaging, particularly if the individual was unable to externalize her emotions and obtain appropriate help and counselling.
Cooper
C L
CL
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester.
Faragher
E B
EB
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires