Next Steps in Gender-Oriented Psycho-Oncology Research and Practices (DRAFT)

This chapter summarizes previous chapters in this book and provides suggestions for future directions of gender-oriented psycho-oncology research.First three chapters provide comprehensive overview and theories on the role of gender in the individual’s and in the patient-caregiver pair’s adjustment when dealing with cancer. Next four chapters illustrate how one’s gender plays a role in the adjustment processes of a patient versus a family caregiver whose gender is the same or opposite of one’s own, which are followed by additional three chapters that take consideration of age, generation, and sociocultural influence on the role of gender. Last two chapters present psychosocial interventions and programs that are focused on gender and cancer. Given the inherently complex biopsychosocial nature of gender, we strongly encourage future studies that are theory-driven and hypothesis-testing, which will help distinguishing the gender issue from that of patient-caregiver roles, lifespan/developmental phases, treatment phases, or culture and social movement.