ExpLOriNg caNcEr idENtitiEs: dOEs thE LabEL “patiENt” Or “surViVOr” mattEr?

s138. This study empirically evaluated whether there is an important distinction between the labels “cancer survivor” and “cancer patient.” Conducted at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, this study examined whether these labels were associated with distinct correlates, including an individual’s identity, sense of self, stressor experiences, subjective wellbeing and health-related quality of life. The authors found that identifying as a “cancer patient” and “cancer survivor” correlated moderately with each other. Although both identities correlated significantly with stressor experiences, subjective wellbeing and health-related quality of life, the associations were small in magnitude. Overall, identifying with the label of “cancer survivor” consistently correlated with a number of more positive outcomes than identifying with the “cancer patient” label. The authors concluded that despite subtle psychosocial differences that favour the “survivor” label, the difference in whether individuals identify as a cancer “survivor” or “patient” is less distinct and meaningful than previously believed. The authors stressed that emphasis in psychosocial oncology should be on facilitating effective adaptation to the coping demands and challenges associated with cancer and its treatment. CoMMenTAry: Due to improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer are living longer. Almost 33 million individuals worldwide have lived 5 or more years after a diagnosis of cancer (2012 statistics). Over 810 000 Canadians were diagnosed with cancer in the past 10 years (2.4% of the population; 2009 statistics). These individuals are often called “cancer survivors” and this terminology has been embraced by the American Cancer Society, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Survivorship, and the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network among others. However, as outlined in Devins et al.’s presentation, the label “cancer survivor” has a short history and has become the source of contentious debate. The term was introduced by physician Fitzhugh Mullan in his 1985 publication in the New England Medical Journal as a replacement for existing labels such as “cured.” Mullan’s intention was to recognize that cancer patients not only need support after diagnosis and treatment (what he coined the “acute survival” phase), but during remission and recovery from treatment (i.e. the “extended survival” phase) as well as during a later stage when the likelihood of cancer’s return is sufficiently small that cancer is no longer considered a risk (i.e. the “permanent survival” phase). Mullan’s publication advocated using the terminology of “cancer survivor” along with attending to the biomedical and psychosocial aspects of survivorship. Subsequently, the label has been widely adopted, however, while some definitions refer to individuals who live even one day after diagnosis, others definitions have been more restrictive and refer to individuals who are cancer-free for a number of years. It has diverse significance for patients, is more frequently used by some (i.e. breast cancer) groups than others, may alienate some individuals, and downplays the possibility of recurrence. Recently, researchers have begun reporting that the adoption of the label “cancer survivor” (rather than ‘cancer patient’ and other identities) has positive consequences for individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing. A recent literature review of 23 studies on cancer identity concluded that “[s]elf-identifying as a cancer survivor was related to