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Approaches to Specific Cancers

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Stress and Somatic Symptoms

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Abstract

Breast cancer, prostate cancer, and childhood cancer have unique characteristics not seen in other cancers with regard to assessment and treatment. Breast cancer patients with persistent concerns about body image, sexual desire, and sexual function should be referred to professionals. Quality of life in prostate cancer patients needs to be emphasized because treatments not only provide a good survival rate but also cause adverse side effects. Prostate cancer patients also need support in psychological, informational, and daily living domains. Open communication between parents, physicians, and teachers is crucial for children with cancer who have difficulty in adapting to their school life. Psychosocial treatment for childhood cancer patients focuses on helping their family and treatment team provide emotional support to them and promoting development at maximum level by encouraging normal activities. Team approach is recommended for treatment of these children in which pediatricians, child psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, teachers, and pastors are involved. A variety of antidepressants can be used in depressed patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and childhood cancer. However, clinicians should be careful of the possibility that antidepressant efficacy will be lower in women taking an estrogen antagonist, such as tamoxifen.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Kyung Bong Koh

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Koh, K.B. (2018). Approaches to Specific Cancers. In: Stress and Somatic Symptoms. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02783-4_25

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