The well-being of long-term cancer survivors.

Abstract

30 Background: While numerous studies have examined the outcomes of individuals recently diagnosed with cancer, less is known about the well-being of long-term (LT) cancer survivors. Methods: Using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative survey of US residents over age 50, we defined four cohorts: US residents over age 50, individuals recently diagnosed with cancer (≤4 years from diagnosis), LT cancer survivors (>4 years from diagnosis) and individuals with a chronic condition (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, lung disease or prior stroke). We compared well-being measures across cohorts. We imputed total medical spending using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Results: We identified 22,034 US residents over age 50; 754 individuals recently diagnosed with cancer; 1,764 LT survivors; and 12,874 individuals with chronic illness. Over the biannual survey waves from 2004-2012, this amounted to 22,034; 3,880; 8,480; and 57,363 person-years, respectively. (The 50+ cohort was analyzed in 2010, the most recent year in which the HRS was nationally representative.) Given the large samples, most differences between LT survivors and other cohorts were statistically significant (p<0.05). However, LT survivors’ outcomes were often closer to those of individuals with chronic illness than to the recently diagnosed. Earnings if employed of the recently diagnosed and self-reported health of the chronically ill were not significantly different from LT survivors. Conclusions: Although cancer has a negative impact on well-being in the short term, over time cancer survivors’ well-being improves, becoming more similar to that of individuals with a chronic condition. [Table: see text]