development of cancer. And, in recent years, considerable

attention has been given to the idea that loss may be ante-

cedent to the development of the disease.

Research Findings

 LeShan (1959) noted the long history of consideration of

psychological factors and the development of cancer. He

pointed out that as early as the second century, Galen set

forth a belief that melancholic women were more likely to

develop cancer than those who were more confident and vital.

Eighteenth and nineteenth century physicians suggested a

relationship between emotional trauma and the development of

cancer.

 Early twentieth century statements of these ideas took

the form of hypotheses tested through clinical observations

of small groups of cancer patients. In some cases, indi-

viduals with a particular site of cancer were the object of

study; in other cases, observations were made of individuals

with various types of cancer. These were uncontrolled and

largely speculative studies with a decidedly Freudian flavor.

Intrapsychic conflicts

 For example, Reznikoff (1955) raised the question of

 hormonal imbalance secondary to psychodynamic conflict in his

 work which compared women with benign and malignant breast

 lesions. In a 1952 report on the observations of 40 women,

 Bacon, Renneker, and Cutler suggested that breast cancer