Care of the terminally ill cachectic cancer patient: interface between nursing and psychological anthropology

The wasted appearance of the terminally ill cachectic cancer patient is a major source of concern for both patients and families. To date, this experience has mainly been understood from a biomedical perspective. However, considering this experience occurs within unique social, historical and cultural contexts, a more holistic approach to capturing this experience is warranted. This paper will argue that the interface between psychological anthropology and nursing provides an alternative approach from which the experience of ‘wasting away’ might be examined. Special attention to the use of explanatory models of illness and illness narratives in capturing this interface will be explored.