What is cancer

Page 338
Black blue
338 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
Results
Individual variables and NKCC
The results were first analysed to examine how individual variables were related to
NKCC. The results showed that active coping and retinol A (a dietary source of
vitamin A) were associated with improved NKCC and that alcohol use was associated
with decreased NKCC. There was a trend for a relationship between focus on and venting emotions and improved NKCC, but no effect for social support, life stressors and
emotional distress.
Predicting NKCC
All variables were then entered into the analysis to examine the best predictors of
NKCC. The results showed that although the control behaviour variables (diet and
alcohol) accounted for most of the variance in NKCC, active coping remained predictive
of improved NKCC.
Conclusion
The authors conclude that active coping is related to improved immune functioning in
terms of NKCC in HIV men. In addition, immune functioning was also related to diet
(vitamin A) and alcohol use. This supports the prediction that psychosocial variables
may influence health and illness. However, the results indicate that the link between
psychological variables and health status is probably via both a behavioural pathway (i.e.
changes in health-related behaviours) and a direct physiological pathway (i.e. changes in
immune functioning).
CANCER
This section examines what cancer is, looks at its prevalence and then assesses the role
of psychology in understanding cancer in terms of the initiation and promotion of
cancer, the psychological consequences of cancer, dealing with the symptoms of cancer,
longevity and the promotion of a disease-free interval.
What is cancer?
Cancer is defined as an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, which produces tumours
called neoplasms. There are two types of tumours: benign tumours, which do not spread
throughout the body, and malignant tumours, which show metastasis (the process
of cells breaking off from the tumour and moving elsewhere). There are three types of
cancer cells: carcinomas, which constitute 90 per cent of all cancer cells and which
originate in tissue cells; sarcomas, which originate in connective tissue; and leukaemias,
which originate in the blood.
Page 338
Black blue