Psychosomatic approach to patients with gynecologic cancer

In patients with terminal cancer, there is a need for a psychosomatic approach in which both the patient's psychological state, including QOL, and physical condition are considered. We studied patients with gynecologic cancer with the following practical objectives: 1. To evaluate the effect of a psychosomatic approach to patients with terminal gynecologic cancer; 2. Using psychological tests and interviews, to clarify the character tendencies of cancer patients, which are often reported in other countries; and 3. To discuss the benefits in the patient's attitude toward living with cancer. In case studies, separation anxiety of terminal cancer patients is increased due to impending death, and often patients cannot deal with these feelings. When the medical staff accepts these emotions, the patients' feelings even in the face of death often change to positive feelings of gratitude to the people around them. All of the results of psychological testing showed model answers, close to the mean of the normal range. This suggests that the patients were suppressing emotions behind their standard responses. Patients with uterine cancer showed a type C or cancer character, while those with ovarian cancer showed type A or heart disease character. Results indicated different attitudes between patients with uterine cancer and those with ovarian cancer. Cancer patients with a vigorous attitude (high POMS-V score pattern behavior) tended to have a good prognosis. This investigation represents a pilot study of a psychosomatic approach to cancer patients. However, recent psychoneuroimmunologic studies have reported the influence of emotion on cancer. Further studies of this kind are needed.