Michael,
In 1957 the ability to detect the presence of cancer in deep
body tissue was quite poor. Even if the patient's evident
tumors had regressed, malignant cells could still be present,
but undetectable, within the blood, bone or other organs.
The particular type of cancer is an important variable when
interpreting such anecdotes, as many cancers follow a natural
course of remission and advance even in the absence of treatment.
While I agree that state of mind (optimism, hope, belief in
treatment efficacy) is an important component of wellness and
recovery, it is clearly not sufficient to cure cancer.
Anecdotes like these place responsibility for illness within
the individual mind and create guilt and doubt among patients
who are fighting for their lives and still losing the battle.
Give me mere data, give me molecular evidence of cure, give me
science. Anecdotes make good reading, but unless they serve to
illustrate real and measurable effects, they do more harm than
good.
All my best,
Pam Shapiro
"Michael J. Kane" wrote:
> "A well-known and dramatic clinical vignette can demonstrate the power of
> this phenomenon much
> more strongly than the mere recitation of data. Klopfer (1957) reported that
> a patient with advanced
> cancer persuaded his physician to try a new experimental cancer drug on him.
> Within 2 weeks, there was virtually no cancerous tissue left. After a couple
> of months ofcomplete health, this patient read
> that the drug had proved ineffective in clinical trials. He almost
> immediately relapsed. His physician convinced him that a double dose of the
> drug would be effective. The patient again recovered and
> remained well for another couple of months. However, once more, he had the
> misfortune of reading that the drug had been declared completely
> ineffective. His cancer returned and he died within
> days."
>
> Klopfer, B. (1957). Psychological variables in human cancer. Journal of
> Projective Techniques, 21,
> 331 - 340.
>
> -Mike
>
> ************************************************
> Michael J. Kane
> Department of Psychology
> P.O. Box 26164
> University of North Carolina at Greensboro
> Greensboro, NC 27402-6164
> email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> phone: 336-256-1022
> fax: 336-334-5066
