Abstract :
The psychosocial determinants are important factors affect the quality and quantity of life of cancer
patients; it will affect whole time of life but more effective in some critical points of disease period such as;
at the time of diagnosis as a problematic case or incidental diagnosis during screening program, at the
time of treatment, at the follow up period, time of recurrence and last days of life. Psycho social respond
related on different factors including:
• Experience of the patients and his/her family about the disease among relatives and friends, it
will be different for a case of breast cancer who has experience of her mother or sister
involvement with good or poor outcome of disease.
• Belief, religion, spirituality is another element which will affect the psychosocial response of the
patient to the time of diagnosis of cancer; it will be different for those who believe the unseen
world and undying power (ALLAH) and who don't.
• Knowledge and level of understanding of disease will affect the psychosocial response of
patient during diagnosis time.
• Relative and care givers understanding and reactions as well as society acceptance and stigma
are effective in psychosocial response.
• Individual criteria such as; Age, Sex, Site of cancer…also will affect psychosocial response to
diagnosis of cancer.
With this background the receiving diagnosis of cancer may evoke many possible psychosocial reactions
such as:
• Shock
• Honey Moon and Deny
• Anxiety
• Anger and Blame
• Despair
• Guilt or Shame
• Relief
• Challenge
• Acceptance
Shock and deny which will last not more than a few days, will take in the patient in honey moon period
to forget everything.
Anxiety and anger may last several weeks. Despair will guide the patient to shame or feel guilty and
blame for him/her self or others. Then the patient will become sad and will challenge with this diagnosis
some times more than several weeks.
Acceptance the diagnosis of cancer is the last phase of psychosocial reaction that never should be
ignored by medical staff during diagnosis period.
Comprehensive care of cancer evoke the medical team to be well aware about psychosocial aspect of
health of cancer patients as well as biological and spiritual aspect.
