European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Early detection it the key to Mart effective Breatt cancer treatment. After the age of 40, women Are advised to Htut Mammogram on a regular bail. Psychotherapy linked to survival time by Daniel Goleman new York times n a new study of women with breast cancer that has spread researchers were surprised to find that the women who belonged to a psychotherapy group lived almost twice As Brig on average As those who did not participate in a support group. The research involved 86 women with Mentastic breast cancer As diagnosed by cancer specialists. They were randomly assigned either to a special therapy group or to a control group that received no psychotherapy. Women in both groups continued to get Normal medical care. After one year the women in the therapy group reported less depression anxiety and pain than did the others. More strikingly when the researchers compared death rates after 10 years they found that those in the therapy group survived an average of 37 months from the beginning of the study while those in the other group lived an average of 19 months Only three of the 86 women were still alive after 10 years and they were All in the therapy group we were shocked when we saw the magnitude of the  said or. David Spiegel a psychiatrist at Stanford University who conducted the study we expected no biological effect from the psychological one " the study published oct 14 in the lancet a British medical journal does not mean that psychotherapy can cure cancer Spiegel said. But it does suggest that therapy can improve the Quality of life for those dying of cancer and it May extend their lives. But the scientists Are at a loss to explain Why the therapy has any effect on survival time and have urged continued research. An editorial accompanying the study noted that because the therapy groups had such diverse elements it was not Clear precisely what might have accounted for the extended longevity. But the editorial said the methods of the study itself Are beyond criticism and it encouraged other groups to pursue this method for the emotional management of cancer. The research has also been Well received by some cancer experts who have been sceptical of other psychological approaches to the disease which Are often Well publicized but poorly researched. In the oct. 27 Issue of science or. Jimmie Holland chief of psychiatry at memorial Sloan Ket Lenng cancer Center in new York called it the first study to show a change in survival from psychotherapy that is scientifically  but Holland expressed a fear shared by Spiegel that some practitioners of alternative cancer treatments would cite the findings to encourage patients to abandon regular medical care in favor of a positive thinking approach. Spiegel said at no time did we take such an approach. Our focus was on living As fully As  when the research began the scientists were not seeking to prove that psychotherapy would extend survival time. Rather the researchers hoped to minimize the patients suffering we did not focus on wishing away the cancer but on living As fully As you can Spiegel said it was psychotherapy with the main Issue being How to redefine yourself in the face of imminent  the weekly support groups met for an hour and a half. During the group sessions the women were encouraged to express their feelings about the illness and How it affected their lives. They compared notes on radiation treatments and chemotherapy and the Side effects. All of them were also taught a self hypnosis technique to help them control pain. The women also encouraged one another to be More assertive with their doctors. One woman told How her oncologist would sit there cooly typing his notes of her Progress and would ask her to leave when she started crying about having to take chemotherapy which she dreaded Spiegel said. She d spend the next three Days upset about How he treated her. That was a common problem for the women. Too Many doctors treat any display of emotion As some kind of Haemorrhage that needs a  in the group the Torran Learned to be More assertive with her oncologist. She told him on any Given Day i la decide if i m ready for chemotherapy and i la cry at first because it upsets me. But then i la Stop " Spiegel said. Her oncologist was More understanding after  a Strong Bond of support for each other formed among the women in the group. Many Felt that the other women had a special understanding of their predicament that someone else without cancer no matter How Well meaning simply could not have. They would visit each other during hospitalizations and they held their own memorials for members who died during the year the group met the groups spent a Good Deal of Lima grieving for members who died Spiegel  reassured them that they would be grieved when they  facing and mastering fears about dying was another focus. We helped them detoxify dying by breaking it Down into problems they could Deal with Spiegel said. While some of those problems had to do with such medical issues As Side effects of treatment others had to do with questions of life priorities. The Challenge was to make the Best use of whatever time remained for them Spiegel said. Before the Mirror inspect tie breast with arms Down and then raise Arr. Look for any changes in contour swelling dimpling of skin or changes in nip Pkt. Then rest Palms on hips and press Down or my to flex Chest Muscles. Left and right breasts win no Maleh exactly few woman s breast do. In the Shower with the fingers Flat move gently Over every pan of each breast. Use the right hand to examine left breast the left hand for right breast. Check for any Lump hard knot or thickening. Lying Down with a Pillow or folded Sowol under right shoulder place right hand behind the Hoad this distributes breast tissue More evenly on Chest. With left hand and fingers tall press Gouy in Small circular motions around the breast. A Ridge of firm tissue in the lower curve of each breast is Normal. Move slowly toward nipple while circling to examine every part of the breast repeat procedure on the left breast with a Pillow under left shoulder and let hand behind head. Firmly squeeze he nipple of each breast gently Between do thumb and Index linger. Any discharge dear or bloody snout be reported to your doctor immediately. Source american cancer society tuesday january 23,1990 the stars and stripes Page 17