Developments in Brief : Effect of Emotions on Cancer Patients Studied

A Pennsylvania researcher says a new study is under way to see if emotions can sometimes influence the outcome of cancer in some patients. “It’s time to answer the question of whether emotions play a role once and for all,” said Dr. Sandra M. Levy of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

She told about 600 physicians attending a National Conference on Breast Cancer in Boston recently that studies involving animals and cancer patients suggest that certain emotions may be an important influence on a patient’s outcome. “I want to make it clear that the major determinant is the patient’s biology. What I and my colleagues are asking is whether behavior is a biological modifier,” Levy said.

If enough evidence can be found that emotions play a strong role, patients could receive counseling, along with other treatments, to encourage positive emotions that may improve their chances for recovery. Levy and Yale researchers have begun a study to test if counseling for depression can improve the outcome for certain cancer patients. Initial results from the study are expected in about six months.