A model for psychosocial phasing in cancer.

The way in which patients cope with cancer throughout the course of treatment and illness can be demonstrated by correlating levels and types of vulnerability with different psychosocial phases. The concept of psychosocial phasing is a hypothesis, the aim of which is to integrate typical problems, concerns, and distress with clinical staging, treatment, and disease progression. Expectations differ at each phase. Accordingly, different problems may arise which clinicians can anticipate and relieve through appropriate interventions.