Prospective studies of the general population have isolated specific social and psychological factors as independent predictors of longevity. This study assesses the ability of these factors, plus two others said to influence survival in patients with cancer, to predict survival and the time to relapse after a diagnosis of cancer. Patients with unresectable cancers (n = 204) were followed to determine the length of survival. Patients with Stage I or II melanoma or Stage II breast cancer (n = 155) were followed to determine the time to relapse. Analysis of data on these 359 patients indicates that social and psychological factors individually or in combination do not influence the length of survival or the time to relapse (P less than 0.10). The specific diagnosis (F = 2.0, P = 0.06), performance status (F = 0.66, P = 0.62), extent of disease (F = 1.12, P = 0.89), and therapy (F = 1.08, P = 0.35) were also unrelated to the psychosocial factors studied. Although these factors may contribute to the initiation of morbidity, the biology of the disease appears to predominate and to override the potential influence of life-style and psychosocial variables once the disease process is established.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Hok, J., Forss, A., Falkenberg, T., Tishelman, C.
(2009). What Is an Exceptional Cancer Trajectory?: Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives on Cancer Trajectories in Relation to Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use. Integr Cancer Ther
8: 153-163
[Abstract]
Maltoni, M., Caraceni, A., Brunelli, C., Broeckaert, B., Christakis, N., Eychmueller, S., Glare, P., Nabal, M., Vigano, A., Larkin, P., De Conno, F., Hanks, G., Kaasa, S.
(2005). Prognostic Factors in Advanced Cancer Patients: Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations--A Study by the Steering Committee of the European Association for Palliative Care. JCO
23: 6240-6248
[Abstract][Full Text]
Goodwin, P. J., Ennis, M.
(2005). In Reply:. JCO
23: 1336-1336
[Full Text]
Goodwin, P. J., Ennis, M., Bordeleau, L. J., Pritchard, K. I., Trudeau, M. E., Koo, J., Hood, N.
(2004). Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychosocial Status in Breast Cancer Prognosis: Analysis of Multiple Variables. JCO
22: 4184-4192
[Abstract][Full Text]
Fleshner, M., Laudenslager, M. L.
(2004). Psychoneuroimmunology: Then and Now. Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev
3: 114-130
[Abstract]
Brown, K. W., Levy, A. R., Rosberger, Z., Edgar, L.
(2003). Psychological Distress and Cancer Survival: A Follow-Up 10 Years After Diagnosis. Psychosom. Med.
65: 636-643
[Abstract][Full Text]
Benedetti, F.
(2002). How the Doctor's Words Affect the Patient's Brain. Eval Health Prof
25: 369-386
[Abstract]
Petticrew, M., Bell, R., Hunter, D.
(2002). Influence of psychological coping on survival and recurrence in people with cancer: systematic review. BMJ
325: 1066-1066
[Abstract][Full Text]
Relman, A. S., Angell, M.
(2002). Resolved: Psychosocial Interventions Can Improve Clinical Outcomes in Organic Disease (Con). Psychosom. Med.
64: 558-563
[Full Text]
Williams, R., Schneiderman, N., Relman, A., Angell, M.
(2002). Resolved: Psychosocial Interventions Can Improve Clinical Outcomes in Organic Disease--Rebuttals and Closing Arguments. Psychosom. Med.
64: 564-567
[Full Text]
McPherson, K, Britton, A
(2001). Preferences and understanding their effects on health. Qual Saf Health Care
10: i61-66
[Abstract][Full Text]
Sloan, J. A., Loprinzi, C. L., Laurine, J. A., Novotny, P. J., Vargas-Chanes, D., Krook, J. E., O'Connell, M. J., Kugler, J. W., Tirona, M. T., Kardinal, C. G., Wiesenfeld, M., Tschetter, L. K., Hatfield, A. K., Schaefer, P. L.
(2001). A Simple Stratification Factor Prognostic for Survival in Advanced Cancer: The Good/Bad/Uncertain Index. JCO
19: 3539-3546
[Abstract][Full Text]
Reynolds, P., Hurley, S., Torres, M., Jackson, J., Boyd, P., Chen, V. W.
(2000). Use of Coping Strategies and Breast Cancer Survival: Results from the Black/White Cancer Survival Study. Am J Epidemiol
152: 940-949
[Abstract][Full Text]
Vigano, A., Bruera, E., Jhangri, G. S., Newman, S. C., Fields, A. L., Suarez-Almazor, M. E.
(2000). Clinical Survival Predictors in Patients With Advanced Cancer. Arch Intern Med
160: 861-868
[Abstract][Full Text]
Faller, H., Bulzebruck, H., Drings, P., Lang, H.
(1999). Coping, Distress, and Survival Among Patients With Lung Cancer. Arch Gen Psychiatry
56: 756-762
[Abstract][Full Text]
Strang, P.
(1997). Existential consequences of unrelieved cancer pain. Palliat Med
11: 299-305
[Abstract]
Gordon, H. S., Rosenthal, G. E.
(1995). Impact of Marital Status on Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients: Evidence From an Academic Medical Center. Arch Intern Med
155: 2465-2471
[Abstract]
McDonald, E. R., Wiedenfeld, S. A., Hillel, A., Carpenter, C. L., Walter, R. A.
(1994). Survival in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: The Role of Psychological Factors. Arch Neurol
51: 17-23
[Abstract]
Reichlin, S.
(1993). Neuroendocrine-Immune Interactions. NEJM
329: 1246-1253
[Full Text]
Fawzy, F. I., Fawzy, N. W., Hyun, C. S., Elashoff, R., Guthrie, D., Fahey, J. L., Morton, D. L.
(1993). Malignant Melanoma: Effects of an Early Structured Psychiatric Intervention, Coping, and Affective State on Recurrence and Survival 6 Years Later. Arch Gen Psychiatry
50: 681-689
[Abstract]
Easthope, G.
(1993). The Response of Orthodox Medicine to the Challenge of Alternative Medicine in Australia. Journal of Sociology
29: 289-301
[Abstract]
Packard, N. J., Haberman, M. R., Woods, N. F., Yates, B. C., Artinian, B., Wieczorek, R. R.
(1991). Demands of Illness among Chronically III Women. West J Nurs Res
13: 434-457
Kilwein, J. H.
(1989). No Pain, No Gain: A Puritan Legacy. Health Educ Behav
16: 9-12
Roud, P. C.
(1989). Psychospiritual Dimensions of Extraordinary Survival. Journal of Humanistic Psychology
29: 59-83
[Abstract]
Reuben, D. B., Mor, V., Hiris, J.
(1988). Clinical Symptoms and Length of Survival in Patients With Terminal Cancer. Arch Intern Med
148: 1586-1591
[Abstract]
Goodwin, J. S., Hunt, W. C., Key, C. R., Samet, J. M.
(1987). The Effect of Marital Status on Stage, Treatment, and Survival of Cancer Patients. JAMA
258: 3125-3130
[Abstract]
Guzzetta, C. E.
(1987). The Human Factor and the Ailing Heart: Folklore or Fact?. J Intensive Care Med
2: 3-5
Previous
