Coping mechanisms comparing cancer survivors to patients with a recent recurrence

Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-53)The relationship between survival and coping\ud strategies, if substantiated, could have important\ud implications for the comprehensive management of cancer\ud patients. In this study 31 patients surviving cancer for\ud five years or more received a "Ways of Coping" checklist\ud along with 16 patients having a recent recurrence of their\ud cancer (within six months). A significant difference\ud between the two groups at initial diagnosis and presently\ud was the coping utilized by the recurrence group, that of\ud drawing on past experience. The survival group used that\ud strategy significantly less, apparently using new and\ud different strategies. Survivors also tried to find "good"\ud in the situation, did something "new," were able to "joke" \ud about it, and "accepted" their cancer. The recurrent group\ud "asked for advice," "followed a plan" and "tried harder."\ud It appears that survivors attempt to manage, modify or\ud control the situation in some manner, while the recurrent\ud group attempts to adapt