Cancer

Although cancer continues to be a huge public health problem, considerable medical progress has been made in treating this set of diseases during the past several decades. Many forms are curable and there is a sustained decline in the overall death rate from cancer when one focuses on the impact on the total population (Murphy et al., 1997). Because of improvements in medical science, more people are living with cancer than ever before. However, despite these improved medical prognoses, psychosocial and emotional needs are often overlooked (Nezu et al., 1998). Almost every aspect of one’s life can be affected, as cancer engenders many stressors and can lead to significantly compromised quality of life. Even for people who historically have coped well with negative life events, cancer and its treatment greatly increases the stressful nature of even routine daily tasks. Weissman and Worden (1976-77) referred to this situation for cancer patients as an “existential plight”, where one’s very existence can be endangered. With the advent of the field of psychosocial oncology, increased attention has been paid by mental health professionals to this “plight” (Andersen, 2002; Nezu & Nezu, 2004).