Steliana Rizeanu1, Lucia Bubulac2, Ovidiu Popa-Velea2
The incidence of cancer in the world has reached a worrying level. In the majority of cancer types of cancer, the
occurrence increases with age and reaches a peak between the age of 75-90.
In this context, this study aims to identify unfavorable psycho-behavioral patterns in elderly patients associated
with increased vulnerability to cancer and how they directly influence the evolution of the disease in terms of
healing or relapse.
The sample group included elderly patients diagnosed with cancer (n = 89, mean age = 71.2 years) hospitalized
for chemotherapy treatment at the Oncology Institute ”Al. Trestioreanu” Bucharest, as well as a control group
(n = 87 , mean age = 73.2) , represented by cancer-free patients who were under the supervision of a family
doctor.
Following a transversal research design, we evaluated the level of stress perception (Holmes-Rahe Scale), self-
efficacy (SES questionnaire) and anxiety (Anxiety Inventory State-Trait, STAI1 and STAI 2 forms).
The results revealed that the group of patients with cancer had a significantly higher value of perceived stress
compared to the control group (279.62 vs. 125.05, F = 33.222, p <0.0001). Moreover, the self-efficacy scores were
significantly lower in the study group (28.89 vs. 31.13, F = 5.893, p <0.016), and for anxiety-trait, significantly
increased compared to the control group (49.43 vs. 43.12, F = 4.895, p< 0.028).
In women from the study group, self-efficacy was significantly lower compared to the control group (28.38 vs.
30.72, F = 6.995, p <0.009, F = 6.995), while the perceived stress was higher (269.15 vs. 114.70, F = 30.377, p
<0.0001). Men with cancer scored significantly higher in trait anxiety (53.10 vs 39.68, F = 29.66, p <0.0001),
state anxiety (48.033 vs 37.44, F = 6.811, p <0.012) and perceived stress (300.23 vs 150.72, F = 19.855, p
<0.0001).
These results plead in favor of a significant relationship between the psycho -behavioral patterns and the
presence of cancer in the elderly and also represent an argument for the inclusion of clinical psychologists in
the multidisciplinary team caring for these patients.
