Psychological States as Factors in the Development of Malignant Disease: A Critical Review2

Abstract

The literature concerning the effect of personality structure on the etiology and development of neoplasms was reviewed. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, publications repeatedly indicated the belief of their writers that emotional states had an important effect on the development of cancer. In the past 10 years a large number of studies in this area has been done with the modern techniques of psychiatry and clinical psychology. By and large, recent studies have come to the same conclusions as the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century oncologist. At present the data seem to justify 4 conclusions: 1) There seems to be a correlation between neoplastic disease and certain types of psychological situations. 2) The most consistently reported, relevant psychological factor has been the loss of a major emotional relationship prior to the first-noted symptoms of the neoplasm. 3) There appears to be some relationship between personality organization and the length of time between the appearance of a neoplasm and the death of the patient. 4) There may be some relationship between personality organization and the type or location of a cancer.