Disease as a Reflection of the Psyche

To the Editor: As past-president, president, and president-elect of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, we have several concerns regarding the recent editorial by Dr. Angell (June 13 issue) 1 that relate to her belief that "The evidence for mental state as a cause and cure of today's scourges is not much better than it was for the afflictions of earlier centuries." Angell cites two negative Journal studies regarding prediction by assessment of psychosocial factors of outcome in patients with cancer 2 or coronary disease 3 as raising the possibility that we have been too ready to accept the "venerable belief" that mental state . . .