[Psychosocial status of the patient with extensive and advanced ovarian cancer]

The psychosocial situation of the patient with ovarian cancer is characterized by interacting of the individual experiencing of the disease and the therapy and of the reactions of the social environment, especially of the next of kin and the physicians. The disease and the therapy cause a severe threat of psychophysical integrity, followed by prejudice of self-esteem and plans for the personal future. If this threat is not solved, often depression, loss of social status, and social withdrawal with isolation are following. The patient concentrates her hope for recovery on the attending physician in a central, projective superelevated way. For that reason, he is highly responsible to react on the subtile signals of distress in a patient, empathical, and encouraging attitude.