Thursday 25 September 2014

Family squabbles can derail recovery from cancer surgery

Cancer patients burdened by stress and family conflicts before surgery may face a higher risk for complications following their operation, a new study suggests.

Investigators found that patients with a so-called quality-of-life "deficit" appeared to have a nearly three times greater risk for complications compared to those with a normal or good quality of life.

The findings, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, were based on 431 colon cancer patients who underwent surgery in 1993. The study only found an association between quality of life and surgical outcomes; it did not prove cause and effect.

Study mentioned:

Juliane Bingener, M.D., professor, surgery, department of surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.; Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer, American Cancer Society, and professor, oncology and epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga.; August 2014, Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

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