The role of psychosocial factors in the development of breast carcinoma: Part I. The cancer prone personality

Abstract

Background: The authors conducted the current study to determine whether personality predisposes some individuals to develop cancer.

Methods: The current study examined the role of personality variables in 2224 older women recalled for assessment after routine mammography in a breast screening program. Using a semiprospective design, subjects completed self-report measures of defense style, locus of control, emotional expression and control, self-esteem, trait anxiety, and state anxiety and depression while waiting for medical examination. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to control for known risk factor variables and to examine differences between 3 control groups (normal tissue controls, benign/cystic controls not requiring biopsy, and benign biopsy controls) and 298 breast carcinoma subjects.

Results: No differences were detected between breast carcinoma subjects and controls based on measures of mature, immature, and neurotic defense style; locus of control of behavior; emotional expression-in, emotional expression-out, and emotional control; self-esteem; anxiety; or depression.

Conclusions: The results of the current study found no evidence to support an independent association between these personality measures and the development of breast carcinoma. [See accompanying article on pages 686-97, this issue.]