EYSENCK PERSONALITY-INVENTORY L-SCORES IN PATIENTS WITH HODGKINS-DISEASE AND NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

Sixty-three patients with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were followed up for exactly 5 years after first diagnosis. Survival analysis was carried out using the log-rank test (univariate) and Cox' s proportional hazards regression method (multivariate). Variables exa mined were: age at diagnosis; gender; stage; symptoms; type of disease ; grade of tumour, performance status; presence or absence of hypnothe rapy or relaxation training; Eysenck Personality inventory L-scores; a nd Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. At diagnosis, in keep ing with previous studies, L-scores were high. Although L-scores can h e raised for several reasons, the L-scale may be a useful measure of t he cancer-prone (type C) personality. Moreover, as predicted, L-scores were associated with an increased risk of death within 5 years; L-sco res emerged as an independent risk factor as did depression scores. A relaxation-based intervention may also have enhanced survival. Replica tion in the lymphomas, and investigation in other cancers, should be c arried out.