Cancer personality: Current view and implications for future research

Czech version

Authors: M. Blatný ¹; Z. Adam ²
Authors‘ workplace: Psychologický ústav Akademie věd ČR, v. v. i., Brno, ředitel prof. PhDr. Marek Blatný, CSc. ¹; Interní hematoonkologická klinika Lékařské fakulty MU a FN Brno, pracoviště Bohunice, přednosta prof. MUDr. Jiří Vorlíček, CSc. ²
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2008; 54(6): 638-645
Category: Reviews

Overview

The paper provides an outline of the present state of knowledge of the ’C-type’ or cancer-prone personality. Links between personality and cancer have been studied approximately since the mid 1960’s. Opinions on the role of personality dispositions and other psychosocial factors in the development of cancer have been changing over the last 50 years. There are basically two periods marking the evolution of thought on the subject. While in the early 1990’s, results of research were interpreted in favour of the existence of the C-type personality, in spite of a lack of consistency (and often contradictory findings), currently they are interpreted in disfavour of the C-type personality due to continuing uncertainty. The current view is primarily based on the fact that specific links between cancer and certain personality traits have not been confirmed. In conclusion, the authors reflect over what could have been done better from the methodological point of view in studies carried out so far, and suggest suitable study design options.

Key words:
cancer-prone personality – cancer – risk – methodology

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