Colon cancer: Personality factors predictive of onset and stage of presentation

Author(s): Engdahl, B. E., Kay, S.

Journal/Book: J Psychosom Res. 1995; 39: The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, England OX5 1GB. Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd. 1031-1039.

Abstract: This study examined premorbid personality correlates of colon cancer and stage of presentation of colon cancer to health care providers. Sixty-one male veterans who completed the MMPI between 1947 and 1975 and were then diagnosed with colon cancer between 1977 and 1988 were matched with control patients. A 21-factor solution of the MMPI [1] was used to seek potential personality differences between colon cancer cases and their controls in terms of presence of colon cancer and stage of presentation for this disease. A stepwise conditional regression analysis found significant differences between the colon cancer and control groups on the Aggressive Hostility variable (p<0.018). A multivariate analysis of variance conducted across the stages of colon cancer presentation found that patients who presented later on for colon cancer had higher Phobia scores (p<0.05). Religious Fundamentalism was also related to presentation (p<0.05), but in a nonlinear manner. Discussion is related to previous findings regarding the relationship between personality and development of cancer, as well as to implications for patient screening.

Note: Article MG Kavan, Creighton Univ, Sch Med, Dept Family Practice, 3047 S 72ND St, Omaha, NE 68124 USA

Keyword(s): hostility; colorectal cancer; phobias; religious fundamentalism; prevention; SEEKING MEDICAL-CARE; RISK FACTOR; HEART-DISEASE; MORTALITY; HOSTILITY; DEPRESSION; BEHAVIOR; STRESS; DELAY

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