Symptoms
The main symptom of this phobia is the obsessive fear of getting cancer and dying from it. It is common to pay increased attention to one’s internal sensations; any discomfort provokes the thought that this is a manifestation of cancer. Much attention is also paid to searching for information about cancer on the Internet and available literature.
Often unnecessary examinations and tests are carried out to exclude cancer; at the initial stages, good research results and the doctor’s conclusions about the absence of oncology calm down for a while and remove the influx of fears. But, over time, the conviction that cancer has begun grows stronger and cannot be dissuaded.
Isolated cancerophobia is rare; in this case, they speak of cancerophobia syndrome. Most often, obsessive fears of cancer are accompanied by other phobias, increased anxiety, asthenic phenomena, and vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD).
Cancerophobia can be observed as one of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, neurasthenia, depression, schizotypal disorders, consequences of organic damage to the nervous system, psychosomatic diseases and other diseases.
Life stories
It is precisely to combat the myths surrounding cancer, including myths associated with its incurability, that the new project of the Khabensky Foundation, which the charitable organization presented on Wednesday, November 20, is aimed at. One of the main goals of the #ThisCannotCure project is to show that cancer is not a death sentence, the foundation emphasizes, and to change attitudes towards the topic of cancer.
To do this, its authors collected stories of real people who managed to cope with the disease, but never overcame minor weaknesses or simply remained true to their habits. Celebrities also took part in the project - for example, TV presenter Vladimir Pozner (he also survived cancer) in one of the videos created as part of the project, spoke about the fear of sharks that had haunted him since childhood. You can see the stories of the project participants (the creators promise that their number will be replenished) on the website “raklechitsya.rf”.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Igor Russak
“It is impossible to concentrate support for cancer patients on one phone number”
Director of the Clear Morning service Olga Goldman - about the closure of the only psychotherapy department in the capital for people with oncology
— Several years ago, when our foundation grew and we began to look at the problem of helping children with brain tumors systemically, we realized the following thing: we can endlessly help specific children and families who are already faced with the disease, we can support the clinics where they undergo treatment, we can train doctors. And all this is very correct. But this is not enough. We realized that we need to work with literally everyone - with the widest audience, with ordinary people who have certain ideas about cancer,” actor Konstantin Khabensky, head of the foundation, told Izvestia. — Prejudices, myths, fears, which are often based on speculation, unverified or outdated information, or simply rumors. We want our little charges to live in a world where they are not told on the playground that they are “contagious” and are taken away from other children. We want people, upon learning that their friend, neighbor, or colleague has been diagnosed with cancer, not to bury him immediately, but to constructively offer help and know that this diagnosis is not a death sentence.
Cancer and cancerophobia
Cancer
- one of the severe forms of cancer. It has a malignant course and a poor prognosis if the disease is detected late. One of the leading causes of death in old age. According to statistics, the incidence of oncological diseases and cancer in particular in people suffering from cancerophobia is several times lower than in the general population.
This can be explained by several reasons
Firstly, people prone to phobias are usually physically healthy people and therefore diseases of internal organs are observed less frequently in them.
Secondly, due to fear for their health, they are distinguished by frequent (more than necessary) visits to doctors, examinations and tests, and therefore all their existing diseases are detected at an early stage, which allows for timely application of medical measures.
Thirdly, carcinophobes, due to their tendency to causeless anxiety, have well-developed vegetative centers that promote good capillary blood flow and, accordingly, high endurance of the body, which also determines good physical health.
How to protect yourself from cancer?
The most universal and proven method is medical examination. Regular and preventive observation by a doctor allows you to identify any disease in the early stages, cancer - at the stage of a precancerous condition. When the disease is just beginning, it is easier to cope with it.
For cancer patients, this rule becomes an obsession. They are ready, on their own initiative, to take tests for tumor markers (blood indicators indicating cancer) an infinite number of times, undergo examinations and consultations with oncologists.
How to get rid of the fear of getting cancer?
In mild cases, a consultation with a doctor is sufficient, at which it is enough to convince the patient that he does not have cancer or even a predisposition to it. It is very important if the doctor points out high anxiety and teaches how to cope with this anxiety.
Lead a healthy lifestyle
- Stop smoking. Lung cancer is one of the most common and difficult to treat cancer diagnoses.
- Reduce your alcohol intake. Alcohol affects the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus.
- Watch your weight. There is a proven statistical link between excess weight and many types of cancer, such as esophageal, colorectal, breast, uterine and kidney cancer.
- Reduce the share of fried and fatty foods in your diet.
- Increase your physical activity.
- Prevent infectious diseases. Infections are responsible for approximately 22% of cancer deaths in the developing world and 6% in industrialized countries. The most common cases: viral hepatitis B and C leads to the development of liver cancer; human papillomavirus - to the development of cervical cancer; The bacterium Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of developing stomach cancer. Timely vaccination and following simple hygiene rules will help avoid contracting these and other infections.
- Be in nature more often. Chemical carcinogens in our environment are responsible for approximately 1-4% of all cancers.
- Protect your skin from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation is responsible for the development of most skin cancers.
All this will not only reduce the likelihood of cancer, but will also significantly improve health and improve the quality of life.
Treatment of cancerophobia
In more severe and long-lasting cases of cancerophobia, dissuading oneself is not enough. Treatment required. The first step is a consultation with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. During the consultation, the doctor will clarify the condition and, if necessary, prescribe therapy. The following techniques are recommended that have a therapeutic effect for obsessive fear of getting cancer:
- Psychotherapy. The most effective are cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic directions. The former teach you how to manage your anxiety, the latter help you get rid of your phobia by identifying the unconscious causes of fear.
- Biofeedback therapy. Advanced technology that combines elements of psychotherapy and computer technology. Helps reduce anxiety and fear-related thinking disorders.
- Pharmacotherapy. Some antidepressants and antipsychotics have an antiphobic effect and are used in courses. Tranquilizers can quickly relieve symptoms of fear and panic.
- Physiotherapy: electro-sleep, electro-analgesia. By reducing overexcitation of the subcortical structures of the brain, it reduces the severity of anxiety.
About hypochondria (excessive concern for one's health), which often accompanies cancerophobia, see HERE. You can read about other phobias HERE.
Denial and fear
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In its pure form, cancerophobia is quite rare today, but it is often used to refer to any fears associated with cancer, explains Anna Kan, a clinical psychologist at the National Medical Research Center for Oncology. N.N. Blokhina”, who took part in the work on the project “#thiscannotcure”.
— There are not as many real cancerophobes, those who exhibit phobic symptoms, as it seems. “Cancerophobia” today is used rather as a brighter, literary word to denote increased anxiety associated with cancer, says the publication’s interlocutor.
In itself, such anxiety is not always bad. As long as it is manageable, it can be a good incentive to, for example, undergo an examination or go to the doctor, says the publication’s interlocutor. The problem arises when a person loses control over these emotions.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Sukhorukov
“If anxiety begins to develop into a panic state and instead of going to the doctor, a person stays at home, because anxiety tells him: “Don’t, in case they find you,” this is already considered uncontrollable anxiety,” explains Anna Kan, emphasizing, that in this case, nevertheless, we are not talking about a phobia.
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According to the World Health Association (WHO) website, delays in seeking medical help are among the most common problems associated with cancer.
This attitude, oscillating between denial and fear, is typical for people all over the world, explains Mikhail Laskov, oncologist, hematologist, candidate of medical sciences, head of the Doctor Laskov Clinic to Izvestia.
“Our society is very infantile, and people’s attitudes towards cancer are, accordingly, the same. This is a mixture of denial, fear and a huge number of myths on this topic. And this is true not only in Russia, but throughout the world. People don’t want to talk about it at first: “Oh, let’s not talk about it, why should I have cancer, we all died from heart disease.” And when it does happen, fear sets in,” he says.
I'm afraid I have cancer
Dmitry, Samara
March 10, 2020
Hello, in general, I have a problem and this problem does not allow me to live in peace, I worry and suspect the worst, but first things first. In recent years I have been suffering from constant diarrhea, and if 2-3 years ago I managed with Acipol, now everything is much worse. At first, the lower abdomen felt tight and the mushy stool was light in color, constant heartburn tormented me, I coped with it with the help of omeprazole, but in 2022 my mother unexpectedly died, there was a lot of stress, and in November of the same year gastritis worsened and continued along the same lines, drank Denol, drank a bunch various antibiotics and antimicrobials, including bactistatin, hilak, bifiform, now the stomach practically does not bother me, but there is trouble with the intestines, constant pain and cramping, diarrhea, often foamy and with mucus. As soon as I start drinking promicrobials, everything goes away immediately, but not for long. Now I’m taking Enterol and Nexium, before that I took Alphanormix for 7 days, there’s a lot of gas, there’s a feeling of an unemptied bowel, the gas comes out, the sensations become normal (for a short while). I apologize for providing such information, I’m very worried, I’m afraid that it’s oncology, on the Internet what they write is based on the symptoms and It looks and doesn’t look like it, the doctor at the clinic puts it all down to osteochondrosis and the problems of my obsession (although if it weren’t for the pain, I wouldn’t have gone to see it). So I went to 4 gastroenterologists, there is practically no result, or it is short-term, I ask them what additional examinations can be done so as not to miss/miss, they say it is not necessary yet. Tell me, is there any reason to worry? FGS was last done on 01/30/2020 - superficial gastritis, reflux esophagitis And indirect signs of hiatal hernia ultrasound of the abdominal cavity - an inflection in the gallbladder, diffuse changes in the pancreas, all organs are of normal size and as the ophthalmologist said there is nothing to worry about X-ray of the stomach in December 2019 - gastritis, duodenitis, reflux, slow evacuation X-ray of the stomach with a passage into the small intestine - enteritis (preliminary), the contrast passed into the large intestine in an hour, the radiologist speaks too quickly General blood test 02/03/2020 - everything is within normal limits Sugar-3.7 GGT -50 HbA1c(ukbrbhjdfyyysq Hb)- 5.1 Biochemistry 12/16/2019 Asat-17 Alat-27 Total bilirubin- 32.3 Direct-9.9 Indirect- 22.4 GGT-49 Triglycerides-1.43 cholesterol-4.05 cholesterol-HDL- 1.05 cholesterol-LDL- 2.35 atherogenic coefficient-2.9 Alkaline phosphatase-86 Bilirubin has been increased since the summer, gastroenterologists say Gilbert's syndrome, but no analysis was done for it. Yesterday I did an express test for occult blood, immunochrome The heme test showed a positive result, although the strip responsible for the result was very pale and appeared after 5 minutes. Help me with my question, is there any reason to worry and where to turn?
The question is closed
analysis
X-ray of the stomach
drank denol
“Before death we are like children”
“Cancerophobia is an existential fear of death, expressed in the form of cancer,” explains Vyacheslav Ivanov. - It seems that adults have only two certainties in life - we know for sure that we were born and that we will die. The past and the future are multidimensional and multivariate. However, death is also a great uncertainty. Will everything stop with her? Or will there be a Last Judgment? Or rebirth? Spiritual and religious ideas play a big role here.”
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“Cliff in front”: how not to go crazy when you find out that your child has cancer
Thus, the level of cancerophobia in society directly depends on the culture and traditions in the country. For example, a calm attitude towards death has historically developed in Japan, including thanks to the traditions of hara-kiri. The Chinese see death as an opportunity to meet deceased relatives. Mexicans inherited from the Indians a philosophical attitude towards death, which is considered one of the human states. Indian and African funerals resemble folk festivals.
In pre-Christian Rus', the attitude towards the dead was also lighter, and the fear of death appeared after Christianity came to the country. Then fear of God and expectation of the Last Judgment appears. At the same time, the institution of the church allowed people to overcome and cope with the fear of death.
“In Russia today the institution of the church is virtually destroyed. But the priests explained to people where they would go after death, what they needed to do to get to heaven. “Christ rose from the dead, trampling down death through death” - even this phrase calms a person, explaining that there is no death as such. But now it has been announced that there is no God, and it has become unclear - how to build a relationship with death? Previously, we were united in a kind of enclave, but now it’s every man for himself,” notes Anton Karpov.
Along with the church, rites and rituals that help to comprehend what is happening around have disappeared from the life of modern people.
“It is not clear to a modern person who he is, what he is—he has a diffuse and infantile perception of life. And therefore, before death, we are like children, grass on the battlefield,” explains Vyacheslav Ivanov.
How to protect yourself from misconceptions?
In order not to succumb to common misconceptions, it is necessary to develop critical thinking.
A critical assessment of any information that comes to you can remove many contradictions and protect against misconceptions and myths in matters of health.
Good advice for doctors would be to use recommendations and methods of evidence-based medicine, which suggests relying only on scientifically proven actions that are safe for the patient’s health.
There is a certain decision-making algorithm that doctors try to follow:
- Select the question you want answered.
- Get the best evidence, the best answers.
- Critically evaluate the best answers and evidence.
- Use the information you have critically read and comprehended in relation to your clinical practice.
Also, at any stage, it is necessary to pay attention to the use of reliable sources of information.
People with dark skin do not get skin cancer
Statistically, skin cancer occurs more often in people with fair skin.
The main cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet rays. Protection against them is provided by melanin, which is less in people with fair skin.
A study by scientists has confirmed that skin cancer occurs in people with dark skin. But the survival rate of such dark-skinned patients is much lower than that of lighter-skinned patients. This is due to the difficulty of detection and the frequency of detection, since it is more difficult to detect a neoplasm on dark skin than on light skin.
One notable example is reggae musician Bob Marley, who died at the age of thirty-six from late-diagnosed acral melanoma, a melanoma that develops on the skin of the nails.
Thus, skin color has no effect on the risk of skin cancer, and people with dark skin can also be diagnosed with it.
Breast implants lead to breast cancer
In fact, women who have and those who do not have implants are equally at risk for breast cancer.
But there is a very rare disease - anaplastic large cell lymphoma of the breast. This is not a disease of the breast tissue, but of the lymph nodes. And it is the presence of breast implants that influences the development of this disease.
The basic risk of developing this disease is three per 100,000,000 cases, and the risk of development in the presence of implants is already 203 per 100,000,000 cases, i.e. the risk increases by 67 times. However, the absolute incidence of this disease is extremely small.
Thus, breast implants are not associated with breast cancer, but do increase the risk of breast lymphoma.
Antiperspirant use leads to breast cancer
A study was conducted in which 813 women aged 20 to 74 years with breast cancer took part.
According to this study, the use of antiperspirants is absolutely not associated with the development of breast cancer.
Subsequently, several more studies were conducted that similarly confirmed the absence of a cause-and-effect relationship between the occurrence of breast cancer and the use of antiperspirants.
Thus, there is currently no evidence linking the use of antiperspirants and the occurrence of breast cancer.
Cancer is a death sentence
The outcome of treatment and the speed of rehabilitation of a cancer patient are influenced by various factors.
These include:
- biological type of tumor (different tumors have different prognosis),
- localization, prevalence and size of the tumor,
- presence and characteristics of concomitant diseases,
- tumor treatment methods,
- patient's age.
There is also such a thing as stages of cancer. The stage determines only survival, i.e. probability of living for a certain period of time. The higher the stage, the lower this probability.
As a rule, when treating malignant tumors, oncologists use an indicator such as five-year survival rate.
According to global data, the average five-year survival rate for major cancers (lung, breast, colon, prostate, skin cancer) is 60%. This is a fairly high figure.
Survival depends on the type of tumor. One of the lowest survival rates is observed for pancreatic cancer, and one of the highest for skin cancer (basal cell).
Thus, cancer is not always a death sentence for a person. With the development of technology, most types of cancer are curable.
Depression contributes to cancer
There is a misconception that negative emotions and severe depression can lead to cancer.
A study was conducted in which people with severe forms of depression took part. As a result, it was proven that the risk of developing a malignant tumor in people with depressive disorders is exactly the same as in people without such disorders.
Thus, a bad mood has absolutely no effect on the occurrence and development of a tumor and is not even a risk factor for its development.
