Mind matters. Coping and cancer progression.
The idea that having an 'attitude' about cancer makes a difference in its course is a popular but controversial one. Most oncologists and surgeons believe that tumor type and stage, general health, and medical treatment are all that account for the variance in outcome. Many patients and their families believe that having the right attitude makes a difference in the course of disease. This leads us to two empirical questions: (1) Does coping make a difference in disease progression when medical prognostic variables are taken into account? and (2) What constitutes the 'right attitude'?
Spiegel
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA. dspiegel@leland.stanford.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011603:Psychophysiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological