The Frontal Cortex

My understanding is that many of the adjunct treatments offered or suggested during cancer treatment are not done to improve the chances of surviving but to make the often brutal treatment more tolerable, or preventing further opportunistic disease.

Foe example yoga may help someone undergoing chemo to relax and sleep better. It may have no effect on their cancer but it may well have on their mental state. Eating a diet with plenty of fruit and veg is likely to help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of a bacterial or viral infection.

Posted by: Matt Penfold | October 30, 2007 11:14 AM

There seems to be an unfounded assumption that "positive outlook" == "fighting spirit" == (or !=) "ability to fight cancer by mind". Unlikely even to be the complete set of verbalizations on the subject, when if anything I would say the significant factor has to be a pre-verbal quality of how the afflicted's mind works. if any.

I have no personal cancer experience. But for mind over body I do. From 13 to 18 I suffered extensive and very messy acne on my back, bloodstains on my shirt every night kind of messy. I was a student at a boys only school and thought that I would never find a woman who would look at me. So at 18 I did, and three weeks later my back was clear and has been so ever since. So I would add "self confidence" to the above list of descriptive phrases, and still I think be missing the point.

And Zachary hits the proverbial nail-head re what is wrong with cancer cells: not responding to normal cellular controls. In my case it was most likely normal responses to abnormal hormonal cellular controls that was the pathology.

Posted by: david1946 | October 30, 2007 9:07 PM

I remember hearing criticism of this study because the cancers in question (mouth/tongue/throat) are notably disfiguring. Some require extensive intrusion on your daily life, from feeding tubes to mandible removal. The criticism suggested that improved attitude just can't shake a leg at the stark reality of missing your lower jaw.

Such criticism is blatantly dishonest; the study is about the spread of cancer in 1000 people with mouth/throat/tongue cancer, not about 1000 people with feeding tubes or missing their lower jaw. Assuming there are such critics -- "I remember hearing" doesn't score very high on the scale of reliable citation; often it's just a way of adding authority to one's own opinion, although here we aren't even told what credentials these alleged critics have.

the basis of cancer is that the cells are out of control

What tipped you off?

are unable to be curtailed by our bodies. I wouldn't be surprised that cancer progression is completely independent of a positive attitude.

Despite the common association between stress and the state of the immune system? You seem to be suggesting an inference from "out of control" to "completely independent", but the logic isn't there. I suggest that there is a strong connection between "pschological factors" and the sorts of conclusions people reach.

Posted by: truth machine | November 6, 2007 2:04 PM

I would guess that having a better attitude would, at least for most people, translate into better participation in your treatment and that would in turn result in higher survival rates. Taking your medicine, being proactive about quit smoking or drinking or other potentially harmful habits, or trying to get more excercise and eating better. That sort of thing.

But I wouldn't have guessed that having a sunny disposition would effect any disease or disease progression that wasn't stress-related, though.

That said, I wouldn't necessarily want to tell cancer patients this. Their attitude is about the only thing they do have control over. And I imagine that for some people, feeling like they can be proactive is helpful and gives them something to periodically focus on besides the horror of cancer.

My best friend had a masectomy at 33 while going through a divorce. There was almost nothing we could do for her except sort of be there and sympathize, or do the chores. Being able to make her some healthy food and tell her to focus on getting better and taking care of herself was about all we could do, and it was as much about making us feel better as it was for her feel like she could participate in her own recovery. So, knowing about this study, I probably still wouldn't mention it to anyone I knew who had cancer.

Posted by: Leni | November 11, 2007 11:11 AM