[The psychosocial care of cancer radiology patients--the requirement, subjective need and acceptance].

The topic of the investigation was the discrepancy between the documented objective need for psychosocial support of cancer patients on the one hand, and of the patient's little subjective needs on the other, the latter resulting in only low acceptance of care offered. In an empiric study the attitude of 38 radio-oncological patients (29 female, nine male) toward psychosocial support was investigated. The study revealed a tendency, independent of sex, that may be described as a social retreat (e.g. emphasis on personal independence, desire not to burden anybody, to hold back own interests and feelings, to be of help rather to others). We interpret this attitude as a specific reaction of coping with the problem, attempting at self-stabilisation.