Emotional Factor in the Etiology & Pathogeny of Cancer by
José R Ponce in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Research Study
The results of a literature review about the
relationship of emotional stress, in its different manifestations, with cancer
disease are exposed. Since Galen (129-216 BC), in his book De Tumoribus noted
that “melancholic” women were more prone to cancer than others, has been
wondering about what is true in those suspicions. Especially that the clinical
practice of many specialists points towards a close relationship between this
disease and stress derived states, such as chronic depression for example. The
cancer is chronic and still unknown in its cause. It consists in the atrophied
and progressive growth of the cells in any part of the body, to create a tumor,
or to circulate through body fluids such as blood or lymph. Such growth can
metastasize to distant sites and could lead to death. Everything indicates up
to know that its etiology is really multifactorial, where the
toxic-environmental and the genetic-hereditary factor can be pointed out.
However, it has been demonstrated how socio-environmental events imprint
genetic mutation, and are coadjutant to the neoplastic tissue, being found
within these factors to emotional stress. This state is related to cancer in
several ways: One, causing genetic mutation, promoting growth of neoplastic
tissue. In second place, reduces the defensive capacity of the immune system to
against cancer. Third, through depression modifies physiological functions that
favor the disease.
No comments:
Post a Comment