The influence of personality, social support on the onset of upper digestive tract cancer

Objective: To explore the contribution of psychosocial factors including personality and social support to the onset of upper digestive tract cancer. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with upper digestive tract cancer were chosen as disease group, with 98 healthy persons as control group, who matched with disease group in habitation, age, sex and education level. Both the two groups were studied by Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and social support scale. The differences between the two groups were analyzed. Results: The E score of EPQ in disease group was lower than that in control group, but its P and L scores were higher, and the support utilization degree in disease group was much lower than that in control group. Positive correlation was found between the E score of EPQ and social support utilization degree in disease group. Conclusion: The onset of upper digestive tract cancer is correlated with personality and social support.