Assessment of sleep in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer

We studied the sleep architecture and psychologic state of 32 patients with breast or lung cancer compared with 32 age- and sex-matched, normal-sleeping volunteers and 32 otherwise healthy insomniacs. Research findings indicate that lung cancer patients slept as poorly as did insomniacs, but underreported their sleep difficulties. Breast cancer patients slept similarly to normal-sleeping volunteers. No psychiatric disorders were detected in the cancer patients, and there were no significant differences in mood between lung and breast cancer patients. Lung cancer patients appear to be unique in underestimating an objectively verified sleep difficulty. The adaptive mechanism of denial in these patients is discussed.