[Pain in cancer and psychological methods of its correction].

Physical pain can be a major component of cancer patient’s suffering but suffering itself covers much more different sides of a human being than physical manifestations and often happens in the absence of physical pain. Suffering or total pain include physical pain, social pain, psychological pain and spiritual pain, which have a mutual influence on each other. The efficacy of treatment of total pain in cancer patients may be increased by additional use of psychological methods of its correction.

[Rehabilitation of cancer patients as a basis for improving the quality of life].

Rehabilitation of a cancer patient should be aimed not only at eliminating the disease itself and restore natural functions of the body but also at the maximum acceptable recovery of the human abilities to live with the disease and after it. Rehabilitation is carried out by efforts various professionals who in their work should take into account the state of a cancer patient and the features of his personality. Rehabilitation is one of factors in improving the quality of life of cancer patients.

[Physician and medical psychologist: complementary approaches in providing psychological care to cancer patient].

In providing psychological care to an oncological patient a physician and a medical psychologist come from a variety of professional positions that require different approaches and methods. It is proposed a three-phase model of the dynamics of the psychological state of the person in the situation of cancer reflecting the process of psychological adaptation of a particular patient. Focusing on this model, the authors conclude that psychological care to cancer patient, performed by a doctor and a medical psychologist, are different kinds of psychological care that does not replace but complement each other.

[Communication skills in oncologist's work].

During the process of own professional activities any oncologist has to interact with a patient who experiences severe psycho-emotional stress, accompanied by painful sufferings. Successful communication between a doctor and a patient influences on patient's attitude to treatment. An oncologist should be able to possess professional communication skills, which allow interacting more effectively with patients.

[Attitude to the illness of patients with malignant lymphomas on various stages of disease].

In 138 patients with malignant lymphomas on different stages of the disease there were considered attitude to the illness and treatment, which included relation to the diagnosis, the subjective perception of the disease and attitude to treatment. Using a technique of studying psychological attitude to the disease there were studied details of personal response to the disease. Along with the general trends in relation to the disease, specific to cancer patients of different tumor sites, there have been identified particular features related to attitude of malignant lymphoma patients: a long period of denial of a malignant nature of the disease and their greatest psychological trauma during relapse.

[Mentality of cancer patients].

Cancer ruins the patient's daily routine and causes anxiety thus affecting adaptation. An analysis of past conversations gives a glimpse of psychological problems tormenting cancer patients. The paper gives a glimpse in adaptation at the crux of a crisis and evaluates the role and potential of anxiety which can help go through it.

[Emotional burnout among oncologists].

The burnout syndrome is characteristic of medical profession because doctors are involved with people who are in great trouble; moreover, they are required to engage patients and maintain close psychological interaction with them. An analysis of questionnaires on problems of patient-doctor communication showed that specialized programs of psychological training should be created to help oncological doctors avoid burnout.

[Role of anosognosia in development of attitude toward Hodgkin's disease].

A psychodiagnostic investigation included 71 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 61--with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at different stages. It was shown that anosognosia, i.e.

[Knowledge of lung cancer patients about their disease and their psychological adaptation].

Among 42 patients with primary lung cancer, 11 refused, 20 admitted while 11 admitted partially the fact of their disease. Later on, compensatory mental dysadaptation in the first group was followed by inadequate attitude to the disease. The growing awareness of the disease involved neurotic symptom enhancement which was an adequate response under the circumstances.

[Way for improving the quality of life of elderly oncology patients].

The study was concerned with the possibility to increase QL of cancer patients at older age. At our work we used lazeroauriculo-, acupuncture therapy in combination with psychotherapy. Results of tis treatment--74% good effect, 15%--statisfectory effect, 11%--without effect.

[Comprehensive palliative therapy--ways of improving the quality of life for cancer patients].

The results of evaluation of different kinds of palliative treatment (the complex one included) of 430 cancer patients are presented. The practices of the health service as well as the tentative conclusions of our investigations have shown that better palliation is both necessary and promising following radical surgery or in cases of extensive tumor process. If taken in combination, such procedures as transcranial electroanesthesia, electroacupuncture, palliative chemo- and hormone therapy, laser and analgetics of a new generation may be instrumental in considerably improving the quality of life in cancer patients, psychotherapy being an indispensable component.

Supportive care in cancer patients in St. Petersburg.

The supportive care programme in St. Petersburg has existed for more than 10 years and works mainly with breast cancer patients. It includes physical procedures, psychotherapy and support given by volunteers of the Hope/ Nadezhda Association, who operate in accordance with the Reach to Recovery International Programme.

[The role of psycho-oncology in the treatment of cancer patients].

The role of psychooncology in the treatment of cancer patients is discussed. Due consideration of this factor may help increase quality of life of cancer patients.

[The possibilities for improving the quality of life of cancer patients].

The authors emphasize the need for the society and its formations to participate in social rehabilitation of cancer patients. Participation of volunteers from groups of social-psychological support might be a way toward the solution of the problem.

[Quality of life of cancer patients: a method for evaluating physical, social and psychological adaptation of women with cancer of the breast and uterine body].

The paper describes a procedure for evaluating quality of life of patients with breast and uterine cancer and discusses the rationale for its use. The method was used in 161 cases. A correlation was established between the results provided by the procedure and those of psychologic tests.

[The social and work activities of patients after the radical treatment of lung cancer].

One hundred and twenty-six radically treated patients with lung cancer showed a decrease in the majority of parameters of socio-occupational activity. A comparative study in two groups of patients (lobectomy-95 and pneumonectomy-31) established a correlation between the extent of surgery and degree of socio-occupational activity rehabilitation which was most pronounced in terms of patients' intercourse, resumption of occupational activity and duration of rehabilitation and invalidity periods. Psychoemotional status of lobectomized patients proved better than that in cases having undergone pneumonectomy.

[Socio-psychological aspects of prosthesis in women undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer].

A relationship between prosthetics, personality features and occupational rehabilitation of mastectomized women is discussed. Questionnaire-based data were obtained on patients' attitude towards prosthetics as well as on certain social and labor characteristics of 65 women under study. Prosthesis users approved of its cosmetic characteristics.

[An experience with the rehabilitation of breast cancer patients after radical treatment].

Breast cancer out-patients rehabilitation may be similarly effective for all tumor localizations provided the peculiarities of primary treatment are considered. Its application opens up new vistas since it ensures an improvement and stabilization of mental and emotional state and reduces anxiety in cancer patients. A course of rehabilitation is followed by the change for better functional indexes and stimulation of interest in taking up an occupation.