IT IS a widely held belief that having a positive outlook improves your chances of surviving cancer. But one study suggests this is not the case, at least with inoperable lung cancer.
According to a 10-year study of 179 patients, being optimistic at the start of treatment had no effect on survival time or the time it took for the cancer to spread. The researchers think the findings might actually help people cope better with the disease. “Patients experience significant social pressure to be positive, in the erroneous belief that it will help them survive. So if they don’t respond…
