The second approach is that salvage radiotherapy may increase relapse-free survival or even cure some patients as based on recent retrospective series [ 9, 22].
Maintaining case-management and contact with recovery-focused services, such as mutual help groups, and addressing psychiatric co-morbidities and psychosocial issues that may increase risk of relapse has been shown to be important for maintaining abstinence [ 31– 31].
Moreover, there is evidence that some aspects of neurocognitive impairment remain even in remission;[ 17] future work is needed to target this lingering dysfunction, particularly as it may increase risk for relapse.
Such changes raise the question of whether these measures contribute to the high levels of emotional distress, alcohol craving, and compulsive alcohol seeking that may lead to increased relapse susceptibility.
In humans, it was shown that anxiety may increase the probability of relapse.
If the renal impairment is irreversible, discontinuation of lithium will not benefit the kidneys but may increase the risk of relapse and thus should be avoided.
Such changes may increase the risk for relapse to drinking and may play a role in escalating alcohol consumption in people who are alcohol dependent.
The use of standard first-line drugs in the treatment of these patients may increase the risk of relapse, treatment failure and acquired drug resistance [ 23- 25].
Such changes may alter an alcohol-dependent person's response to stress, particularly with respect to stress and emotion regulation and motivation for alcohol, which in turn may increase the risk of relapse (Sinha 2001, 2005).
There are, however, some psychosocial data which provide evidence that stressful events and psychological distress may increase the risk of relapse in cancer, and here we reference two of the most recent.
