Background: Lack of physical activity has been noted in breast cancer survivors and been attributed to decreased physical function. Purpose: This study assessed the effects of a moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise program on body fat percentage, maximal oxygen consumption (VO[subscript 2] max), body mass index, and bone mineral density (BMD) of…

Preventative screening in the form of clinical breast examinations remains among the best protections against breast cancer. Despite the benefits that regular examinations confer, many women fail to obtain screening tests. Because ethnic minority women are particularly unlikely to undergo regular screening, and experience increased mortality and…

The study focuses on healthy children's responses to a sibling's cancer and its aftermath, with particular scrutiny directed toward these healthy siblings' stress factors, duress responses, and coping resources. The authors investigated role overload as these siblings' stress factor, anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms as their duress responses,…

This book contains selected contributions from the international workshop Learning, "Adjustment and Stress Disorders--with special reference to Tsunami affected Regions" organised by Evelin Witruk and the team of Educational and Rehabilitative Psychology at the University of Leipzig in January 2006. The book contains new results and the…

The concept of premature discovery in science entails the publication of an important idea which remains uncited for a long period. Thereafter, a deluge of citations of its substance would occur. An overlooked example concerns the discovery in 1963 of how lung cancer cells stimulate the formation of new lymph vessels in man. Subsequently called…

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) offers a rigorous approach to many problems in perception, emotion, personality, and cognition, where the stimuli are too complex to be quantified by other means. In these procedures similarity ratings of the stimulus objects are modeled as points in multidimensional space, such that perceived similarity is…

Two main goals in the care of the terminally ill are to optimize the quality of their remaining life and to alleviate the distress of their survivors. Pain control research has contributed significantly to meeting those goals, but continued progress is needed in both basic studies and expanded applications of new techniques. (Author/NB)

Evaluated the possible significance of nonverbal communication in 49 terminal cancer patients using the Facial Affect Scoring Technique. Results showed fear was highest in early stages of illness. Sadness increased regularly from the early to late phase. (JAC)

Described the development of the Cancer Inventory of Problem Situations (CIPS), and presented a study of cancer patients (N=84) using the CIPS. Results showed that cancer patients have moderate to severe problems in personal care, activity management, involvement with the health care system, work, and interpersonal interactions. (LLL)

Determined if baseline anxiety levels are predictive of outcome on treatments associated with cancer chemotherapy. Results indicated low-anxiety patients reported less anxiety and depression before behavioral training but nonetheless exhibited significantly greater reductions in anxiety, depression, and diastolic blood pressure after training.…

A study of white women members (N=347) of the American Chemical Society who died between 1925 and 1979 finds five times the expected rate of suicide, a higher risk for some forms of cancer, and a lower rate of heart disease. These and other findings are discussed. (JN)

Surveyed 335 older adults to examine knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of older people about cancer. Found that the elderly hold a number of false beliefs and negative attitudes that might keep them from seeking treatment. An education program was developed on the basis of the findings. (JAC)

Family therapists offer a valuable but underutilized resource for families affected by cancer. This article reviews a number of clinical interventions directed toward the following four core strategies: (a) enhancing communication and emotional contact, (b) accommodating structural changes within the family, (c) facilitating a sense of meaning,…

Compared the sun protection behaviors (SPBs) of physicians and patients from a Rhode Island teaching hospital. Survey data indicated that physicians and patients did not differ in their overall use of SPBs, though they differed in their regular use of specific SPBs (physicians were more likely to use sunscreen, while patients were more likely to…

Investigated the effect of aerobic exercise on physiological and psychological function in people rehabilitating from cancer treatment. Data on people participating in control, moderate-intensity exercise, and low-intensity exercise groups indicated that both exercise programs were equally effective in improving physiological function,…