Influence of psychological coping on survival and recurrence in people with cancer: systematic review
BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7372.1066 (Published 09 November 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:1066All rapid responses
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Society has a wish to provide a solution to every ill, and hence the
notion that a positive attitude might cure cancer. I have often thought
how insulting this is to the memory of those who have died.
I congratulate the authors on their research.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Nothing that I read mentioned the debilitating effects of the chemo
or radiation therapy on the patients in the group.
Years ago Cameron and Pauling published reports of the differences
between patient in one wing of the Hospital in Scotland who were treated
with chemo and radiation as contrasted to those in Dr. Camerons wing who
were treated with large doses of Vitamin C.
Have these guys been simply ignored or are they condemned for
reporting their patients better and longer life because they chose
Vitamins over conventional treatment. Since they lived longer and more
pleasantly would that not imply that they had a positive attitude that
helped them chooe the better treatment?
I was personally well acquainted with only three cancer patients who
chose conventional treatment--they were in misery from then until their
demise. I have only read about those who chose non-conventional treatment
and were better off for that choice.
As a lifelong scientist I see little useful information in reports
similar to the above. I
would write a report like that for the media to republish in their special
non-informational style.
Best
Regards,
L Mahoney
PS Will the raw truth about cancer treatment ever be published
outside of a few outlaw sites on the internet?
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
What about quality of life?
There is surely a place for research into psychological interventions
that improve quality of life for patients after diagnosis or treatment.
Maybe happiness (or reduced unhappiness) has some effect on survival.
Frankie Campling
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests