Editing Psychosomatic medicine (section)

==Criticism==
Studies have yielded mixed evidence regarding the impact of psychosomatic factors in illnesses. Early evidence suggested that patients with advanced-stage cancer may be able to survive longer if provided with psychotherapy to improve their social support and outlook.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = [[Helm Stierlin|Stierlin H]], [[Ronald Grossarth-Maticek|Grossarth-Maticek R]] | title = Krebsrisiken – Überlebenschancen: Wie Körper, Seele und soziale Umwelt zusammenwirken. | edition = 3rd | publisher = Carl-Auer-Verlag | location = Heidelberg | date = 2006 | isbn = 978-3896705341}}.</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fawzy FI, Fawzy NW, Hyun CS, Elashoff R, Guthrie D, Fahey JL, Morton DL | title = Malignant melanoma. Effects of an early structured psychiatric intervention, coping, and affective state on recurrence and survival 6 years later | journal = Archives of General Psychiatry | volume = 50 | issue = 9 | pages = 681–689 | date = September 1993 | pmid = 8357293 | doi = 10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820210015002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Spiegel D, Bloom JR, Kraemer HC, Gottheil E | title = Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer | journal = Lancet | volume = 2 | issue = 8668 | pages = 888–891 | date = October 1989 | pmid = 2571815 | doi = 10.1016/s0140-6736(89)91551-1 | s2cid = 8445427 }}</ref> However, a major review published in 2007, which evaluated the evidence for these benefits, concluded that no studies meeting the minimum quality standards required in this field have demonstrated such a benefit.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Coyne JC, Stefanek M, Palmer SC | title = Psychotherapy and survival in cancer: the conflict between hope and evidence | journal = Psychological Bulletin | volume = 133 | issue = 3 | pages = 367–394 | date = May 2007 | pmid = 17469983 | doi = 10.1037/0033-2909.133.3.367 }}</ref> The review further argues that unsubstantiated claims that "positive outlook" or "fighting spirit" can help slow cancer may be harmful to the patients themselves if they come to believe that their poor progress results from "not having the right attitude".