Psychological assessment and intervention: future prospects for women with breast cancer

During the last decade, there has been a growing interest in the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer. Studies have addressed multifarious aspects, including the possible importance of personality factors and stress in the onset and progression of malignancy, the psychological impact of diagnosis and treatment, the incidence and nature of psychological and psychiatric problems, the development and evaluation of psychological interventions to ameliorate treatment side effects and to enhance quality of life, the psychological effects of screening for breast cancer and of counselling women at high risk, the organization of services, training, and psychoneuroimmunology. These and other studies are reviewed and possible directions for future research are indicated. It is clear that psychosocial factors are becoming increasingly important components of the assessment and management of patients with breast cancer.