Psychosocial predictors of psychological, neurochemical and immunological symptoms of acute stress among breast cancer patients

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of locus of control, social support and their interaction on acute stress indicators as a conseq uence of the communication of the results of a breast biopsy. Immunological and psychological indicators were evaluated in 50 patients with breast ten derness. We found little evidence for the existence of a relationship betwe en psychosocial variables considered to be stress indicators and acute stre ss symptoms. Concerning the results of the first assessment, only the relat ion between locus of control and psychological distress was meaningful. Wit h regard to the existence of a relationship between psychosocial variables and natural killer cell system indicators, only the number of natural kille r cells (NKC) could be explained by the psychosocial model including locus of control, perceived social support from relatives and the interaction bet ween locus of control and perceived social support from relatives. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.