ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the discussion of cancer on the three areas: the causes of cancer, its prevention, and its treatment. It reviews basic information about the disease, its definition, and its origins. The chapter discusses the five most frequently occurring forms of the illness in the United States: lung, prostate, breast, colorectal, and cervical cancers. It explores risk factors for cancers and the role of gender, genetics, race/ethnicity, environment, and health-risk behaviors on cancer. The chapter explains the interaction of some of these factors because; two or more factors may collectively increase the relative risk of cancer to individuals. It examines the effects of depression, one of many possible psychological reactions to the disease. The chapter describes the impact of depression as a deterrent to improved health outcomes after treatment and as a possible contributing factor to the illness. It shows that health psychologists can and do play a significant role in cancer treatments.
