title: Healing the mind/body split: bringing the patient back into oncology.
abstract: The effect on oncology of the doctrine of Cartesian dualism is examined. It is argued that (1) this doctrine continues to exert a baneful (though unacknowledged) influence on the practice of oncology, (2) Descartes's doctrine of a mind/body split is mistaken, and (3) mind and body (brain) are inextricably interwoven. A biopsychosocial model of disease is advocated. The role of psychooncology in healing the mind/body split by focusing research attention on the patient is outlined.
authors.affiliation: St. Raphael's Hospice, London Road, North Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9DX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greer
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D011603:Psychophysiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012803:Sick Role; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome