Does personality style affect breast cancer risk?
There have been a number of studies that have looked at psychological characteristics of women to see if these can predict risk of developing cancer, or risk of dying from cancer. The findings have generally been inconclusive. However, a number of studies have suggested that women with what has been described as a “fighting spirit” may be less likely to develop cancer, and be more likely to survive their cancers, compared to women who suppress their anger or anxiety and are passive and compliant with their medical care. This “fighting spirit” personality has been described as expressing anger, not denying the presence of anxiety, and taking an active and non-compliant role in their care. There is some skepticism about the results of these studies, based on the way the studies were performed. A recently published report found no association between personality type and breast cancer survival, after controlling for things like age, education, marital status, cancer stage, and treatment r
