Type C behavior pattern in women with and without breast cancer

Past research has suggested that there is a behavioral pattern, described as emotion-suppressing, commonly observed in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This behavioral pattern has been labeled by some researchers as “Type C.” The purpose of this study was to replicate past research results by examining the so-called “Type C” behavioral pattern using the Type C Behavior Scale (TCBS), the Lifestyle Defense Mechanisms Inventory (LDM) and the NEO Personality Inventory - Revised (NEO-PI-R) by comparing a group of women with breast cancer to a group of healthy controls matched for age.; Fifty women with breast cancer were recruited for the study and were matched for age with a group of 50 healthy women without any cancer. All of the participants completed the questionnaires by mail. The mean age of the participants was 53.2 years, and 97% of the sample was White. There were no significant differences between the two groups on demographic variables except for state of origin and family history of breast cancer.; Study results indicated no differences between the breast cancer and control groups on the TCBS scores. On the other scales, the only differences observed between the groups was on the Self Sacrifice (SS) subscale of the LDM and on the C6 facet score of the NEO-PI-R. In the logistic regression analysis, all of these scales failed to predict breast cancer diagnosis, although family history of breast cancer and state of origin remained significant demographic predictors.; Additional analyses that examined this behavioral pattern in women with invasive breast cancer (Stage 1–4) compared with the healthy controls found significant differences between the groups on the TCBS Scale and on the SS subscale of the LDM. Additional separate regression analyses performed using these scales as predictors found the TCBS scale to predict the presence of (invasive) breast cancer after controlling for demographic variables.; This study may be limited by sample size and variations among the breast cancer group. The identified behavioral differences suggest the need for further research comparing groups of women diagnosed with breast cancer at different stages of severity.