Psychological and clinical correlates of posttraumatic growth in cancer: A systematic and critical review.

The evaluation of PTG in cancer patients is worthy, because it may promote a better adaption to the illness. However, many investigations do not explicitly refer to the medical nature of the trauma, and they may have not completely captured the full spectrum of positive reactions in cancer patients. Future research should better investigate issues such as health attitudes; the risks of future recurrences; and the type, quality, and efficacy of medical treatments received and their influence on PTG in cancer patients.