Psycho-Oncology -Women with Breast-Cancer

Ninety percent of women with breast-cancer survive. Breast-cancer is no longer an acute disease, it became a chronic one. What does that mean to women with breast -cancer, and what are their most important problems First getting the diagnosis of breast-cancer or discovering metastases, most women fall out of their normal reality and fall into a negative trance. They lose their joy of life, hope, self-assurance, and self-confidence. They become anxious, desperate, and depressive. They think of pain and even death.Breast-cancer therapy is mostly a long-lasting therapy, e.g. surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone-therapy, and modern immune-therapy.In the course of the disease, patients andalso family members suffer from many physiological, psychological, and social problems. Both, patients and family members, need psychological and social support, some need professional psychotherapy.It is very important, that the patients stay in intensive medical care and treatment.Our hospital took part in the biggest European Study Caring about Women with Cancer . Results of this study will be presented. Finally, psycho-oncological considerations, e.g. patient´s self-portrait, self-esteem, partnership problems, and other problems in their social group (work and leisure) are discussed.