A patient’s emotional state has no effect on cancer survival or disease progression, according to a study published in the latest issue of CANCER.

The study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania looked at 1,093 patients with head and neck cancers who completed quality-of-life surveys during their treatment. They found that a patient’s positive or negative emotional state was not associated with survival even after excluding confounders such as gender, tumor site or disease stage.

“The hope that we can fight cancer by influencing emotional states appears to have been misplaced,” said Dr. James Coyne, lead researcher. “If cancer patients want psychotherapy or to be in a support group, they should be given the opportunity to do so. There can be lots of emotional and social benefits. But they should not seek such experiences solely on the expectation that they are extending their lives.”

Previous studies have suggested that a link exists between a positive emotional state and prolonged survival. The researchers believe this study’s large homogenous population and high death rate allowed the detection of even small effects. 

Cancer Journal - Article Link 

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