Cancer Personality

phoenixrising
phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I don't know if this topic has been covered yet, but I stumbled upon an article concerning the "Cancer Personality". Some Doctors are convinced that there IS a Cancer Personality but I think the last word in the medical journals is that there is not a Cancer Personality. I am always looking at ways cancer may be caused and find it interesting.

Here are some personality traits suggested by Dr. Douglas Brodie MD on the subject.

1. Being highly conscientious, dutiful, responsible, caring, hardworking.

2. Carry burdens of others. Worry for and about others.

3. Deep seated need to make others happy.

4. History of lack of closeness with one or both parents.

5. Stuffing down toxic emotions, ie: anger, hostility, resentment and has difficulty expressing them.

6. React adversely to stress and usually experiences an especially damaging event approximately 2yrs before cancer detectable.

7. Unresolved deep seated emotional problems arising in childhood.

I don't know about you gals, but I see me in a lot of this stuff I am sorry to say. And there have been quite a few damaging events in the past 10 yrs.

I think I fit the profile and I believe my mother-in-law fit it too. She had breast cancer and was unable to fight it.

Do you think there is something to this or is it just a bunch of hogwash.

cheers
jan

Comments

  • grandmagail
    grandmagail Member Posts: 28
    #2
    I do see myself in a lot of this also. My sister had so much family stress in her life and developed cancer. She passed away a little over a year ago. We were best friends, in addition to being sisters. So..yes...I really believe that stress has a lot to do with cancer and I do fit more than a few of these traits and so did she.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #3
    Hmmmm~ I must say I don't see myself in most of these traits. It somehow doesn't make sense to me. I DO fit the caring, happy-making personality. But I thought that came from having such a Great Relationship with both of my parents, and emulating their hardworking, generous, caring spirits. My dad, for example, would invite strangers in to dinner! When college kids worked door-to door selling books, magazines, etc, my dad would holler at my mom to cook more pasta or whatever, as we were having company! If he would see a young couple with a baby waiting at a bus stop in the rain, he would give them a lift to wherever they were going. Sometimes he would drive an hour out of his way! And guess what? He died of cancer! His love for me was so unconditional, that when he was dx, (I had moved 3000 miles away) he swore the rest of the family to secrecy. He did NOT want me to change my life's plans and he wanted me to have healthy rememberances of him, and not see him ill. The last time we spoke was on my wedding day, when he called to tell me he loved me.

    My sister calls me "Switzerland"...and is quick to say it is not because I am neutral, but because I am the peace-maker, and the family member who arranges all of the feel-good get togethers.

    If this has caused my cancer, so be it! I wonder what personality does NOT cause cancer!

    Interesting.....

    hugs,
    Claudia
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
    With my other cancer, colorectal, there are official summaries on this subject. STRESS!

    For all the cancers, stress compromises the immune system, allowing the ever-present 'precancer cells' to slip by and start growing. This, in turn, weakens the immune system even more...

    We have a joke amongst the semi-colons....'Which came first, the anal retentive personality, or the anal cancer?'.....lol!

    The biggest thing I have learned and changed in my life is now I am my own #1....no, not to the exclusion of others, but I used to put everybody above me on my 'wishes and needs' list. With a mother who has had cancer, 2 special needs kids, a career in computer support, an alcoholic ex-hubby with asthma, and a boyfriend with heart troubles....well, you do the math....

    I am MUCH happier as my own #1....I'm not selfish, just self-interested...and in a situation where I would have always picked someone else, I consider me into the mix before acting!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #5
    KathiM said:

    With my other cancer, colorectal, there are official summaries on this subject. STRESS!

    For all the cancers, stress compromises the immune system, allowing the ever-present 'precancer cells' to slip by and start growing. This, in turn, weakens the immune system even more...

    We have a joke amongst the semi-colons....'Which came first, the anal retentive personality, or the anal cancer?'.....lol!

    The biggest thing I have learned and changed in my life is now I am my own #1....no, not to the exclusion of others, but I used to put everybody above me on my 'wishes and needs' list. With a mother who has had cancer, 2 special needs kids, a career in computer support, an alcoholic ex-hubby with asthma, and a boyfriend with heart troubles....well, you do the math....

    I am MUCH happier as my own #1....I'm not selfish, just self-interested...and in a situation where I would have always picked someone else, I consider me into the mix before acting!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Your semi-colon joke is too funny, I'll have to pass it on to my colorectal husband.

    I too always put others first. I felt I could always "take it, do it, save it,etc" at the cost of self. Somehow thinking I should be strong enough for it all. But I too have come to the conclusion that I should be included as part of the equation. And you're right, not to the exclusion of others, but to be part of it.
    Thank you
    jan
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #6
    chenheart said:

    Hmmmm~ I must say I don't see myself in most of these traits. It somehow doesn't make sense to me. I DO fit the caring, happy-making personality. But I thought that came from having such a Great Relationship with both of my parents, and emulating their hardworking, generous, caring spirits. My dad, for example, would invite strangers in to dinner! When college kids worked door-to door selling books, magazines, etc, my dad would holler at my mom to cook more pasta or whatever, as we were having company! If he would see a young couple with a baby waiting at a bus stop in the rain, he would give them a lift to wherever they were going. Sometimes he would drive an hour out of his way! And guess what? He died of cancer! His love for me was so unconditional, that when he was dx, (I had moved 3000 miles away) he swore the rest of the family to secrecy. He did NOT want me to change my life's plans and he wanted me to have healthy rememberances of him, and not see him ill. The last time we spoke was on my wedding day, when he called to tell me he loved me.

    My sister calls me "Switzerland"...and is quick to say it is not because I am neutral, but because I am the peace-maker, and the family member who arranges all of the feel-good get togethers.

    If this has caused my cancer, so be it! I wonder what personality does NOT cause cancer!

    Interesting.....

    hugs,
    Claudia

    Your father sounds absolutely exceptional. You are so lucky to have grown up around such wonderful people. You must miss him terribly.
    You know the first three traits don't sound so bad. I have always prided myself on the first one and maybe I overdo it on the second one and definitely on the third. (I love peace and good feely stuff too). But you ask what personality doesn't cause cancer and maybe we could assume the opposite of the first three traits. For instance my mother has pretty well only thought of herself for as long as I can remember (oh oh, am I giving away #4???) and she has never really been sick.
    She's in her 70's, smokes and drinks and eats and does whatever she feels like. My mother-in-law, who was the kindest, sweetest, gentlest person I knew went from 20yrs of depression to breast cancer. No smoking or drinking.....quite proper and always thinking of others.

    I know what you're saying when you say if being a good person causes cancer than so be it. I want to be a good person.....I want to care and even make sacrifices, but I think Kathi is right, we need to include ourselves as well.

    Your right this is interesting isn't it. Thank you for sharing.
    cheers
    jan
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #7
    grandmagail said:

    I do see myself in a lot of this also. My sister had so much family stress in her life and developed cancer. She passed away a little over a year ago. We were best friends, in addition to being sisters. So..yes...I really believe that stress has a lot to do with cancer and I do fit more than a few of these traits and so did she.

    I am so sorry about your sister. When I first read the "traits", I thought "oh oh this isn't good".....then I started stressing about it!!
    New Years resolution will be eliminating that nasty word. Thank you Gail :)
    cheers
    jan
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #8
    I don't buy it at all. I'm pretty expressive and don't tend to carry anger or resentment. I also have a genetic cancer syndrome in my family that is responsible for the colon cancer and that gene seems to have caused cancer in a lot of different personalities in my family.

    I do believe personality can affect how one handles having cancer and that in turn can affect life with cancer, but other than that I think its a waste of precious time for people to spend too much time with wondering if they "caused" their cancer. I think that once diagnosed with cancer, if one hasn't learned already, it's a good time to learn to play the cards you've been dealt, let go of the traits that Dr. Brodie describes and enjoy the life you have!

    She
  • deb2001
    deb2001 Member Posts: 23
    #9
    Count me in too!

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