Psychological Effect of the pancréatectomy: a Feeling of Strangeness

The cancer of the pancreas represents 1,8 % of cancers in France, with 9040 new cases in 2011 (France). This cancer is known to be of dark forecast. Indeed, of late clinical expression, is diagnosed most of the time at a late stage . For that reason, the cancer of the pancreas is considered as the one who presents the least good prognosis for survival. He affects more frequently the men than the women (rate of incidence of 7,7 against 4,7 cases for 100 000). Between 1980 and 2005, the incidence increased by 3,8 % at the women, by 2,0 % at the men (INCA Source, on 2012). The number of cases of cancer of the pancreas in the world is estimated at 278 684, with 266 669 deaths a year (Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide - Globocan, on 2008).

In these cases of very grave cancers, the surgery represents the unique treatment to curative aim, although always not warning of a risk of relapse, and susceptible of entrainer to complications. Thus the pancréatectomy establishes a modality of specific treatment. Remaining the ultimate chance of cure, it is only rarely possible. Indeed, only 10 in 20 % of the cancers of the pancreas exocrines can be handled by surgery when the latter establish 95 % of the cases of pancreatic cancer.

To date, the psychosomatic approach goes away from the search for the causes to be interested more and more in the psychological consequences of the somatic disorders, what we wish to study in the present search.

Once the surgical indication was put, one of the key elements in the psychological plan is the uncertainty as for the outcome of the ablation, as well as the consequences psychopathologiques which ensue from it. The mutilation of an organ, whatever it is, can have an impact on the identity of the person constituting at the same time a physical and narcissistic wound, while having psychological effect at the sick person such as of the anxiety, a depression, or another a state of post-traumatic stress.

More exactly, a study was able to show a positive relation between cancer of the pancreas and depression in a retrospective study. A review of literature concerning the specific relations between depression and cancer of the pancreas was also realized. Besides, 50 % of the patients have a significant level of anxiety and 15 % of depression. A study was nevertheless able to bring to light that the depression does not affect the survival of the patient. Finally, a study was also able to find a decrease marked with the quality of life of the patients during the next first 6 months the operation.

Various studies so studied the quality of life of the patients reached of a cancer of the pancreas in particular in comment surgery. It is also advisable to specify that besides the depression and the quality of life, the strategies of adaptation of the patients having undergone a pancréatectomy were also the object of studies. However, none documented, to date, the specific psychological consequences described clinically by certain patients, in particular the feeling of confusion and strangeness felt, and it in association with the possible presence of a state of post-traumatic stress in several weeks of the operation.