SILVA, Lucia Cecilia da. O sofrimento psicológico dos profissionais de saúde na atenção ao paciente de câncer. []. , 16. ISSN 1870-350X.

In focusing on the meanings of cancer in our society as closely related to suffering, pain and death, some reflections were made regarding the psychological suffering that the attention to cancer patients may cause in health professionals. For this purpose, a review of specialized literature was conducted, privileging Brazilian publications, which particularly deal with the relationship among health professionals, the cancer sick and death. In general, the feelings in doctors, nurses, psychologists, social assistants and other professionals involved with Oncology were observed to be similar to those of the patients and relatives affected by the disease, for example, denial, anger, guilt, magical thoughts, and symptoms of depression. They also feel an incapacity imposed by the limitation of personal and physical resources. These difficulties usually lead to isolation, and to a silent suffering. Thus, suffering is roughly acknowledged, hardly given due concern and even less are professionals motivated to seek ways of dealing with it.

: Psychological suffering; Health professionals; Cancer; Death.