Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Measuring Psoriasis Severity at Home
Published on: March 1, 2024
Psychological status and illness perceptions in patients with melanoma
Maja Vurnek Zivković1, Marija Buljan, Iva Blajić
1Department of Dermatovenereology, Clinical hospital Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. maja_vurnek@yahoo.com
Abstract:
A diagnosis of cancer and its treatment can create considerable distress, anxiety and depression for both patients and their families. The emotional impact of melanoma can be long lasting and profound, although the data in this field is inconsistent. Our last study showed that melanoma has a medium influence on patients' psychological status and quality of life. The aim of this paper was to investigate illness perceptions in patients with melanoma and its correlations with quality of life and emotional status. 60 patients suffering from malignant melanoma were included in the study. Results of this study show that patients perceive melanoma as a relatively long lasting illness, relatively easy to control, but hard to cure; and as an illness with not many consequences to their health. The causes of melanoma as perceived by patients are exposure to sun, heredity, immunity and stress. Illness perceptions are correlated with patients'quality of life, the influence illness has on the quality of life and depression.
Related Concept Videos
Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
Dark Triad and Person Perception
Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and...
Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer