[Cancer prognosis, psychosocial stress and attitude of melanoma patients to supportive psychotherapy]

Abstract

A total of 205 patients suffering from stage I and stage II melanoma were investigated with reference to psychological stress, social support and attitude to offers of psychotherapeutic support. Additional counselling by their dermatologist was considered helpful by 59% of the patients, and interviews with a psychotherapist, by 20%. Patients who where more anxious about a progression of the cancer and thought they had not been given sufficient information about their illness preferred to seek help from the dermatologist. Patients who appreciated additional counselling by a psychotherapist were usually those with a poorer prognosis for their melanoma and those on whom psychosocial distress weighed especially heavily and who had less social support.