Psychiatric aspects of oncology: a review of recent research

Psychiatrists diagnose and treat the mental disorders of cancer patients, but they are also concerned with pain management, the patient's adaptation to the disease, and the attitudes of relatives and health care professionals toward the cancer patient. The author reviews recent research on these areas of concern and discusses the psychiatric complications of cancer such as organic brain syndromes, depression, and anxiety; the pharmacotherapy of such complications; and the role of psychological factors in the etiology of cancer. Approaches to informing patients of their cancer diagnosis and other implications for clinical practice are also covered.