Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Pensamiento intruso
Intrusive thought (in-TROO-siv thawt)
An unpleasant memory or idea that occurs often in a person’s everyday thoughts and keeps him or her from thinking about other things. Interfering thoughts can make sleep difficult and make a person unable to carry out daily activities. Also called interfering thought.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.