This book combines clinical wisdom and empirical data to illuminate the psychological, social and existential aspects of cancer, and to offer a framework for empathic, patient-centered care. Covers stress, pain, fatigue and other factors in long-term illness.

Introduction.- The behavioural dimension of cancer and sickness.- Psychology and cancer.-The existential dimension of cancer.- The social dimension of cancer.- Language and the cross-cultural dimension of cancer.-Communication between doctor and cancer patient.- Complementary psychological therapies.

Medical, educational, and public health efforts have reduced the spread of many major diseases, yet cancer perseveres, in spite of continuing research and improvements in practice. Especially promising among therapeutic strategies are ones that recognise patients as individuals with thoughts, feelings--and speech. Rooted in deep understanding of the mutual  relationship between behavior and cancer, Behavioural Oncology combines extensive clinical wisdom and empirical data to illuminate the psychological, social, and existential aspects of cancer, and to offer a framework for empathic, patient-centered care. Chapters delve into the psychobiology of long-term illness, examining stress, pain, fatigue, sensory and sleep disturbances, and other quality of life issues as well as considerations of age, gender, culture, and comorbidity. The book's emphasis on linguistic and communicative aspects of cancer--and practical skills from respecting patient narratives to delivering bad news--adds necessary depth to concepts of the therapeutic relationship. In this way, the authors warn about overmedicalizing cases to the point of losing patient identity. Major areas of the coverage include:Biology and behavior in cancer prevention and suppression.The psychology of cancer patients: emotions, cognition, and personalitySocial dimensions, including stigma, coping, and social supportLanguage, communication, and cross-cultural issuesExistential, spiritual, and end-of-life concernsDoctor-patient relationshipsThe psychological benefits of complementary therapiesBringing new scope and substance to familiar mind/body constructs, Behavioural Oncology is a definitive reference for a spectrum of healthcare  professionals, among them health and clinical psychologists, oncologists and family physicians, oncology nurses, and clinical social workers. Its discussion questions andsummaries make it a suitable text for undergraduate and graduate courses in related topics.

Combines expertise of a linguist specializing in doctor-patient communication and discourse analysis with that of a behavioral biologist with expertise in disease evolution Chapters include a summary of main conclusions and a list of topics for discussion Fuses knowledge of biology, psychology, and social science into the understanding of the behavioral aspects of cancer patients Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras