Women with Cancer: Psychological Perspectives

ISBN-13: 9781461386735 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 326 str.

Barbara L. Andersen

Opis

A Woman With Cancer Deborah came to University Hospital when she was 25. She was the mainstay of a young farming family. Her husband, Merle, was now farming his family land, working hard to keep financially solvent during these difficult f;lrming days. They had four children: Carolyn, 4 months; Michael, 17 months; John, 4 years; and Susie, 5 years. There was nothing special about this woman or her circumstances; she was like every woman who had ordinary daily chores and responsibilities, people in her life about whom she cared and who cared for her, worries, goals, dreams, and her life before her. Deborah's 4-week postpartum checkup and Pap smear were normal; however, six weeks later she had heavy, irregular bleeding. To Deborah this symptom picture did not seem to fit the pattern of her other preg nancies, and so she returned to her doctor. A large lesion was found on the posterior cervix and biopsies of the tissue revealed moderately dif ferentiated adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Referral to the University Hospital 60 miles away confirmed the diagnosis. Further tumor workup, which included a pelvic ultrasound, bladder cystoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and chest x-ray, was normal, although the IVP was notable for nonvi sualization of the right ureter, thought to be secondary to an enlarged lymph node."

Spis treści

I Cancer Description, Incidence, Risk and Mortality, and Prevention.- 1 Common Malignancies Among Women: Sites and Treatment.- Breast Cancer.- Endometrial Cancer.- Cervical Dysplasia and Cancer.- Ovarian Cancer.- Vulvar Neoplasms.- Vaginal Neoplasms.- Colon and Rectal Cancer.- Lung Cancer.- Pancreatic Cancer.- Malignant Melanoma.- Appendix: Cancer and Cancer Treatment.- 2 Epidemiologic Review of Cancer in Women.- Sources of Data on Women with Cancer.- The Epidemiologic Strategy.- Review of Major Disease Sites.- Summary and Future Directions.- 3 Psychological Aspects of Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Among Women.- The Early Detection of Breast Cancer.- Prevention of Lung Cancer.- Conclusions.- II Diagnosis and Treatment Distress.- 4 Psychophysiological Comparison Processes: Interpreting Cancer Symptoms.- Psychophysiological Comparison Processes.- Psychophysiological Comparison Processes in Gynecologic Cancer Patients at Diagnosis.- Summary and Future Directions.- 5 Adaptation to Chemotherapy Treatments.- The Patient’s Environment.- A Model for Behavior.- A Test of the Model: Representations of Cancer and Chemotherapy Treatment Description of the Chemotherapy Treatment Experience.- Emotional Distress During Treatment.- Summary and Future Directions.- 6 Social Support and Adjustment to Breast Cancer.- The Social Support Construct.- Social Support and Adjustment: The Evidence.- The Support-Adjustment Relationship.- Improving Support Through Intervention.- Summary and Future Directions.- III Reducing Morbidity and Enhancing Survival.- 7 Close Relationships and the Female Cancer Patient.- Conceptualizations of Support and Rejection of Female Cancer Patients.- Relationships in the Families of Female Cancer Patients.- Efforts to Maintain and Enhance Close Relationships for Women with Cancer.- Summary and Future Directions.- 8 Sexual Difficulties for Women Following Cancer Treatment.- Conceptualization of Sexual Difficulties.- Sexual Outcomes Following Cancer Treatment.- Assessment of Sexual Functioning.- Intervention for Sexual Difficulties.- Summary and Future Directions.- 9 Behavior as a Biological Response Modifier: Psychological Variables and Cancer Prognosis.- Behavior and Cancer Progression in Humans: An Overview.- Breast Cancer and Host Response.- Malignant Melanoma.- Animal Studies of Stress, Coping, and Tumor Response.- Summary and Future Directions.- Author Index.