Oddly, I do not see “remarkable clarity” in that review* that would permit a palliative care nurse to make the bald statement that “many” people developed diseases as the result of “suppressed feelings”. There is a lot of speculation for instance about cytokine production and the role it may have in some diseases, but not a whole lot of hard evidence.
We know for instance that long-standing high stress levels are a likely risk factor in heart disease - but it would be quite a jump to suggest that “suppressed feelings” make you more prone to a heart attack.
I think what likely set off Crawlspace is the idea that cancer (which a palliative care nurse would extensively deal with) is personality-related. There are woo-mongers, some well-intentioned, who insist not only that a “positive attitude” helps you beat cancer, but that lack of “positive attitude” and other supposedly desirable personality traits increases one’s risk of cancer. Not only has this not been shown to be true, it has the effect of trying to force patients into a certain mold and instilling guilt in them if they can’t accomplish a sunshiny outlook.
*"When a person is told they have cancer, they might find themselves wondering:
Did I bring the cancer on myself?
Can my emotions really make cancer grow or affect the outcome of my treatment?
Can I control the tumor growth by visualizing how my body is fighting the cancer or by thinking myself well?
Would relaxation or keeping a “positive attitude” help cure my cancer?
An important part of coping with a cancer diagnosis is recognizing emotions and feelings. Treatment that deals with our emotions and relationships (sometimes called psychosocial interventions) can help people with cancer feel more upbeat and have a better quality of life. But there’s no good evidence to support the idea that these interventions can reduce the risk of cancer, keep cancer from coming back, or help the person with cancer live longer. Still, things like group support, individual therapy, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques can be used to help reduce distress and cope with the emotions that come with a cancer diagnosis.
Personality traits and cancer
For many years there have been those who were convinced that people with certain personality types were more likely to get cancer. The common thought was that neurotic people and introverts were at the highest risk of cancer. Along with that, some believed that personality affected the outcome of cancer – the likelihood that a person with cancer might die.
Most of the study results on the subject tended to show no link between personality and cancer, but a few seemed to support the idea. Experts noted that many of these published studies were smaller, poorly designed, or not very well controlled. This means that their results were more likely to be due to bias or random chance. Also, some journals tended to publish the studies that suggested there was a link and reject those that showed no link. People are then more likely to read or hear about the few studies that seemed to show a link but not hear about those that didn’t show any link.
In 2010, the largest and best-designed scientific study to date was published. It looked at nearly 60,000 people, who were followed over time for a minimum of 30 years. This careful study controlled for smoking, alcohol use, and other known cancer risk factors. The study showed no link between personality and overall cancer risk. There was also no link between personality traits and cancer survival. "*
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/attitudes-and-cancer
*not that I do not have the utmost respect for any research performed at The Ohio State University. 