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Somatization disorder and cancer: A case history and review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2005

TABITHA THOMAS ,
SARA BOOTH ,
HELENA EARL  and
GRAHAM LENNOX
TABITHA THOMAS
Affiliation:
Arthur Rank Hospice, Cambridge, UK
SARA BOOTH
Affiliation:
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
HELENA EARL
Affiliation:
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
GRAHAM LENNOX
Affiliation:
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
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Abstract

Cancer pain generally has a physical cause exacerbated to varying degrees by psychological, social, and spiritual factors. This article describes the case history of a cancer patient with severe pain for which no physical cause could be found, who was subsequently found to have a history of somatization disorder. There follows a review of the literature, with specific reference to the difficulties of managing somatization in the context of cancer.

Keywords

Health behaviorPainPallliative carePsychologySomatization disorder
Type
CASE REPORT
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 2 , Issue 4 , December 2004 , pp. 409 - 413
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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