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Abstract

Many Patients with cancer are disturbed about the possibility of recurrence, death, body image and other psychological problems. These stresses can increase cortisol level and lead to suppression of immune � system strength. The important role of cortisol level in regulating immune- system has well documented. The aim of this research was to assess the effectiveness of four-factor psychotherapy in decreasing the level of cortisol in women with breast cancer. The sample comprised 25 women diagnosed with breast cancer who were selected using voluntary sampling and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Groups were assessed in terms of serum levels of cortisol before and after the intervention. The experimental group underwent 12 sessions of four-factor psychotherapy whereas the control group received no intervention. The result of co-variance analysis indicated that the four-factor psychotherapy is effective in decreasing the cortisol�s level of women with breast cancer. It can be concluded that the four-factor psychotherapy by reducing cortisol levels and also decreasing physical and mental exhaustion contribute significantly to the recovery of patients.

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