Worrying cancer patients function worse than other cancer patients

3 October 2011

Cancer patients who experience a lot of negative emotions and fail to express these are in a physically and emotionally poorer condition than other cancer patients, concludes NWO researcher Floortje Mols. The results of her research were published online last week in the Journal of Affective Disorders. 

Medical psychologist Mols investigated the relationship between the type of personality and state of health of more than 3000 cancer patients. Her study revealed that patients with a so-called type D personality were significantly worse off than other types of patient. A type D personality combines two common personality traits: negative affectivity (the tendency to experience negative emotions) and social inhibition (the tendency not to express your emotions in the presence of others).

Cancer patients with the combination of these two personality traits reported a lower general and mental health and a poorer social functioning. They also felt more tired and less fit than other patients. Depressions were also more prevalent among type D personalities. No other explanation could be found for these differences between the two patient groups.

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'Suffering from cancer appears to have a greater impact on the lives of people with a type D personality than on people with other personality types,' says Mols explaining the outcomes of her research. 'Furthermore, patients with this personality often do not talk about the symptoms they experience. If you fail to talk about your symptoms then the doctor cannot treat you adequately.' Medical personnel should therefore pay extra attention to cancer patients with a type D personality says Mols. 'In particular, they should keep asking questions.'

Previous research had already revealed that heart patients with a type D personality function worse than other heart patients. Now it has been demonstrated for the first time that this correlation between personality and health status also applies to patients with different types of cancer.

Mols’ research is funded by a Veni grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The Veni grant of 250,000 euros is intended for scientists who have recently obtained their PhDs and counts as an important step in a scientific career. It is one of the most prestigious grants for young, talented researchers. Mols works at Tilburg University.

The research was carried out in collaboration with the Comprehensive Cancer Centre South in Eindhoven. The study included 3080 patients who received the diagnosis cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, Hodgkin, non-Hodgkin or multiple myeloma (Kahler’s disease) between zero and ten years ago. A total of 572 patients from the study had a type D personality.

About NWO

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the independent Dutch science funding body and its mission is to facilitate excellent scientific research in the Netherlands by means of national competition. Each year NWO spends more than 500 million euros on grants for top research and top researchers, on innovative instruments and equipment, and on institutes where top research is performed. NWO funds the research of more than 5300 talented researchers at universities and institutes. Independent experts select proposals by means of a peer review system. NWO facilitates the transfer of knowledge to society and industry.

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last modified on 23 November 2011