Psychiatric sequelae following surgical treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer has been the most carefully studied site of tumor from a psychological point of view. A range of interventions have been developed to assist the woman and her family in the emotional adjustment to breast cancer and its treatment. Many of these have been developed 'by women for women' and by their insistence that the medical community give more attention to this aspect of medical care. Rehabilitation now centers far more on breast reconstruction then previously. The psychologic understanding of problems posed by breast cancer has been used to develop rational and appropriate psychosocial interventions to reduce emotional distress. This model for development of support in breast cancer should be applied to psychologic management of patients with cancers of other sites, particularly those that carry high emotional distress and that place extensive demand on an individual's adaptive capacities.