Psychological distress in cancer patients: hypothesis of a distress model

A substantial body of research suggests links between stress, coping and cancer. Research also implicates the immune system as a link between stressful events and cancer. The current trend in research in the area of psycho-oncology attempts to define the types of stress and coping mechanisms being used in order to identify predictors of psychological distress. Based on the available review of literature, the impact of distress does seem to play a prominent role in the transition from a state of health to that of ill-health or even a terminal event. In the light of these studies, a distress model for the cancer patient has been hypothesized here. (C) 2002 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.