Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Pyschoimmunology- does trauma cause a dormant cancer to matastisize?

144>I have a question since I am performing a bit of research and require some expert advice in the avenue of PSYCHOIMMUNOLOGY. This is the scenario:





A 72 yr old male with just about perfect health 120/70 blood pressure, went for yearly physicals, breathing test as part of the overall physical all was excellent.





The only drug this individual was on was Lipator and he would go see the doctor every 6-8 weeks religiously to have a liver function test since lipator has sometimes an adverse reaction on the liver.. No issue, he would get his bp check all the time- no issue.





Approximately a 450lb tree limb fell on this individuals car in turn he was brought to the hospital for a check up. No breaks.





During the months that followed his wife noticed his health decline and he aged almost over night. He got a touch of pneumonia and the Doctor gave him some anti-biotic. On an xray the doctor saw something like a shadow.





He said let the medication kick in and when you get back from vacation we will check you out.





Upon his return, and subsequent tests the analysis revealed a 4” x 7” patch of cancer in the lower left lobe of his lung. The doctor gave him 3-6 weeks to live.





The written exam was sent to an oncologist who determined that the patch in the man’s lung had been there for 10 yrs or longer.





He had no breathing difficulty, no issue in any way during those years.





His wife of almost 45yrs stated that he was in perfect health up until the accident; his doctor was also amazed as his patient for 20+yrs had been stricken by this disease.





The Man died 6weeks later.





I have been performing a lot of research and find that the doctors of medicine (general practioners and oncologists) can not define this issue of trauma or stress causing a dormant malignancy to propagate. The papers that I have read elude to those two factors causing illness.. Although when you place those two factors within the umbrella of PTSD the conclusion is more tangible, furthermore, from the aspect of psychology and in turn PSYCHOIMMUNOLOGY or psycho-neurology which is the title of where immunology comes under, the case is completely different.





A severe trauma or stress situation can in turn affect the immunity of the person that was in perfect health, involved in the accident or stress and cause degradation of their health as it did with this man.


I will asked a two-fold question, the first is in an extreme trauma such as the one mentioned – I have read via PSYCHOIMMUNOLOGY that it is likely a dormant or even a non-dormant illness may arise in a perfectly healthy person who has experience serious trauma or stress is this true?
Reply:Stress in itself causes many diseases; it may take awhile to present itself but it will take it%26#039;s toll. One of my concerns is that he was a patient of this doctor for 20 some yrs.: however you mention nothing about other x-rays as part of his physical. I believe in radiation safety but not having any x-ray for that long of a period and at that age. This is good medicine?

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