Cancer Worry Research Articles

Risk Perception Among a Lung Cancer Screening Population

A successful lung cancer screening program requires a patient cohort at sufficient risk of developing cancer who are willing to participate. Among other factors, a patient's lung cancer risk perception may inform their attitudes toward screening and smoking cessation programs. This study analyzed data from the Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer (PanCan) Study to address the following questions: Which factors are associated with the perception of lung cancer risk? Is there an association between risk perception for lung cancer and actual calculated risk? Is there an association between risk perception for lung cancer and the intent to quit smoking? Are there potential targets for lung cancer screening awareness? The PanCan study recruited current or former smokers aged 50 to 75 years who had at least a 2%risk of developing lung cancer over 6 years to undergo low-dose screening CT. Risk perception and worry about lung cancer were captured on a baseline questionnaire. Cumulative logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between baseline risk variables and both lung cancer risk perception and worry. Among the 2,514 individuals analyzed, a higher perceived risk of lung cancer was positively associated with calculated risk (P= .032). Younger age, being a former smoker, respiratory symptoms, lower FEV1, COPD, and a family history of lung cancer were associated with higher perceived risk. Conversely, a consistent relationship between calculated risk and worry was not identified. There was a positive association between risk perception and lung cancer worry and reported intent to quit smoking. Individuals' lung cancer risk perception correlated positively with calculated risk in a screening population. Promotion of screening programs may benefit from focusing on factors associated with higher risk perception; conversely, harnessing worry seemingly holds less value.

Worry about somatic symptoms as a sign of cancer recurrence: prevalence and associations with fear of recurrence and quality of life in survivors of childhood cancer.

Somatic symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue) are common after childhood cancer and are associated with greater fear of cancer recurrence and poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Qualitative studies indicate that survivors of childhood cancer (SCCs) worry about somatic symptoms as indicating cancer recurrence, which could in part explain associations between symptoms and poorer psychosocial outcomes. However, the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of symptom worry has not been quantitatively studied. SCCs (N=111; 52% female; Mage at study=17.67 years, range=8-25 years; Mage at diagnosis=6.70 years) across a variety of diagnoses were recruited from a pediatric cancer center in Canada and completed self-report measures of symptom worry, symptom frequency, general anxiety, fear of cancer recurrence, and HRQoL. A majority (62%) of SCCs worried about at least one symptom as a sign of recurrence. Pain was the most worrisome symptom, but SCCs also reported worrying about symptoms that are rarely associated with cancer recurrence such as hunger, dizziness, and feeling cold. Symptom worry was more strongly associated with fear of cancer recurrence than the mere frequency of those symptoms, and this relationship held while controlling for treatment factors and general anxiety. Symptom worry and frequency each explained unique variance in HRQoL. Worry about somatic symptoms as a sign of cancer recurrence is common and may be impactful after childhood cancer. Excessive worry about somatic symptoms could be an important target to reduce fear of recurrence and increase HRQoL in SCCs.

The needs of Southeast Asian BRCA mutation carriers considering risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy: a qualitative study.

The decision to have risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) by BRCA mutation carriers to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer is difficult. The choice involves trade-offs in terms of its risks and benefits. To date, understanding the decision-making needs of RRSO among Southeast Asian BRCA mutation carriers is limited. This study aimed to explore the decision-making needs of Malaysian BRCA mutation carriers as an exemplar for the Southeast Asian community. In-depth interviews and clinic observations were conducted with 31 BRCA mutation carriers and analysed thematically. The core theme identified was 'Coping with complex information and alleviating uncertainties' with the following subthemes: (1) the need for an adjustment period, (2) information support, (3) social support and, (4) religious support. We found that women required time to accept their BRCA mutation status before they were ready to make a risk-reducing choice; that understanding complex genetic information and multiple risk management options can be an overwhelming experience; and obtaining further information and a second opinion were challenging. Many described the need for experiential information from other peer-carriers who had undergone RRSO. Support from their spouse and family members was thought to be essential for them to feel reassured with their decision. Many relied on religion to positively cope with cancer risk and cancer worry; Muslim BRCA carriers sought religious guidance through prayers and Islamic fatwas to feel more certain about their RRSO decision. These findings underscore the importance of the provision of resources and support that includes input from peers, husband, family members and religion to underpin the decision-making needs of Malaysian BRCA mutation carriers considering RRSO.

Abstract PS7-70: Uptake of screening and risk reducing recommendations among women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome evaluated at a large urban comprehensive cancer center

Abstract Background: Carriers of pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 have an elevated lifetime risk of breast, ovarian and other cancers. Current NCCN guidelines recommend specific screening for early cancer detection and risk reducing surgeries. Previous studies investigating the choices women make following the identification of pathogenic germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants reveal racial disparities in uptake of recommendations with black patients having lower rates of risk-reducing surgical procedures. We report on screening and prevention practices among 128 women identified with a pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant at a large, urban comprehensive cancer center in Detroit, Michigan to evaluate racial differences in compliance with screening and prevention practices and to identify potential barriers to guideline-recommended care. Methods: The study population included women evaluated for genetic counseling and testing at the Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2017, who tested positive for a pathogenic variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2. A 54-item mail or telephone-based questionnaire was used to measure sociodemographics, medical history, cancer screening and risk reducing surgery, and cancer worries and fears. The primary and secondary outcomes were rate of risk reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) and risk reducing mastectomy (RRM). Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify potential predictors of RRSO and RRM, including race, personal cancer history, age at survey, time interval since BRCA1 or BRCA2 diagnosis, education, income, marital status and family history of a pathologic BRCA variant. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Of 374 women with pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants during the study period, 129 (35%) completed the study survey (75 written, 54 telephone) with one ineligible. Of the 128 BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers, 94 (73%) and 76 (59%) underwent RRSO and RRM, respectively and 13 (38%) and 10 (19%) planned to complete those procedures in the future. The rate of RRSO was 72% for white and 71% for black carriers. Black women tended to be less likely to have RRM compared to white women, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (OR 0.5 [95% CI 0.17 - 1.43], p = 0.193). Women who had RRM were 3 times more likely to have RRSO (and vice versa) (OR = 3.28, p = 0.004). With each increasing year of age at the time of genetic counseling, the odds of RRSO increased by 6% (OR = 1.06, p = <0.001). The odds of having had RRM increased with the time interval between genetic diagnosis and the survey by 9% (OR = 1.09, p = 0.043) for each elapsed year. The occurrence of new breast or ovarian cancer since genetic testing had no impact on RRSO, however participants who developed a new ovarian cancer had higher odds of having RRM (OR = 2.63, p = 0.01). There was no association between rate of RRSO or RRM with education level, annual household income, marital status or family history of pathologic BRCA variant. Conclusion: There was no racial difference in the rate of RRSO or RRM between white and black carriers of pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants. Further multivariable models will assess predictors of risk reducing surgeries and will include assessment of screening practices as well as cancer worries and fears. Citation Format: Maria Levitin, Hadeel Assad, Hyejeong Jang, Wei Chen, Nancie Petrucelli, Michael Simon. Uptake of screening and risk reducing recommendations among women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome evaluated at a large urban comprehensive cancer center [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS7-70.

Abstract PS8-05: Randomized controlled trial of decision support tools for patients and providers to increase breast cancer chemoprevention

Abstract Background: Breast cancer chemoprevention with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce breast cancer incidence by 50-65% among high-risk women. However, chemoprevention is still underutilized with fewer than 5% of high-risk women offered chemoprevention agreeing to take the medications. Reasons for low chemoprevention uptake include inadequate knowledge about chemoprevention among patients and healthcare providers, concerns about side effects, competing comorbidities, and time constraints during the clinical encounter. To address these barriers to chemoprevention uptake, we developed decision support tools for patients and providers. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of standard educational materials alone or combined with web-based decision support tools, RealRisks and BNAV, among 300 high-risk women and 50 healthcare providers, respectively. Patient eligibility criteria included: 1) women, age 35-75 years; 2) high-risk for breast cancer, defined as a 5-year invasive breast cancer risk ≥1.67% according to the Gail model or history of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS); 3) no prior use of a SERM or AI; 4) No personal history of breast cancer; 5) Access to the internet. Providers included primary care providers, such as internists, family practitioners, gynecologists, and nurse practitioners, and specialists, such as breast surgeons and medical oncologists. The RealRisks decision aid (DA) is available in English and Spanish and includes interactive modules to communicate personalized breast cancer risk and the risks and benefits of chemoprevention. The BNAV tool includes self-paced learning modules on breast cancer risk factors and chemoprevention and was made available to all providers through the electronic health record (EHR) dashboard. The primary endpoint was chemoprevention uptake at 6 months as assessed via the EHR. Secondary outcomes included validated measures of perceived breast cancer risk, breast cancer worry, chemoprevention knowledge, self-efficacy, decision conflict, chemoprevention attitudes, intention, and informed choice, which were administered to patients at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months after randomization. Results: Among 282 evaluable high-risk women enrolled from November 2016 to March 2020, mean age was 57 years (SD, 9.9), including 59% white, 14% black, 21% Hispanic, and 6% other. Mean 5-year invasive breast cancer risk was 2.98% (SD, 1.42), including 67% of women with benign breast disease and 64% with a first-degree family history of breast cancer. Comparing the intervention and control arms at 1 month, there were significant differences among high-risk women in accurate breast cancer risk perceptions (56% vs. 39%, p=0.017), adequate chemoprevention knowledge (49% vs. 27%, p<0.001), informed choice (41% vs. 23%, p=0.003), and mean decision conflict (34.0 vs. 47.0, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in other patient-reported outcomes. Among patients who completed their 6-month follow-up, only 2.3% of high-risk women in the intervention arm and 3.8% in the control arm initiated a SERM or AI for breast cancer chemoprevention. Conclusions: With short-term follow-up, exposure to our decision support tools was associated with improvement in decision antecedents (accurate breast cancer risk perceptions, adequate chemoprevention knowledge) and decision quality (increased informed choice, reduced decision conflict). However, actual chemoprevention uptake in both arms remained low at less than 5%. Future research should focus on targeting high-risk women with LCIS or atypical hyperplasia and better incorporating decision support into clinic workflow through EHRs and patient portals. Citation Format: Katherine D Crew, Gauri Bhatkhande, Thomas Silverman, Tarsha Jones, Jennie Mata, Ashlee Guzman, Ting He, Jill Dimond, Rita Kukafka. Randomized controlled trial of decision support tools for patients and providers to increase breast cancer chemoprevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS8-05.

Abstract PS7-43: Validation study results for a personalized prevention education aid in breast cancer risk reduction

Abstract BackgroundOptions for breast cancer risk reduction include endocrine medications (tamoxifen, raloxifene, aromatase inhibitors) and lifestyle modifications (increasing exercise, reducing BMI, or alcohol intake). At present, there are limited patient-facing resources that provide information on personalized risk and prevention strategies. To address this unmet need, the Breast Health Decisions (BHD) Tool was designed to educate and empower women in the WISDOM (Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk) Study, a preference-tolerant randomized control trial comparing personalized risk-based screening to traditional annual screening. The tool supports Aim 4 of the WISDOM Study: test whether risk-based screening, including individualized risk assessment and targeted risk reduction education for those in the top 2.5% risk, enables higher uptake of preventive interventions. We conducted a study of the first 100 participants counseled using the BHD Tool to assess its impact on risk-reduction strategies. MethodsThe BHD Tool, built on the Salesforce platform, integrates WISDOM Study risk assessments to generate personalized education about risk and risk reduction, using concise wording, 8th-grade reading level or lower, and visual representations to support shared decision making for high-risk women. Changes to improve usability were incorporated from an initial pilot study. The study population was WISDOM Study participants in the top 2.5% 5-year risk by age, excluding mutation carriers. 5-year risk was calculated using the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium risk modified by a polygenic risk score. The tool was available through the participants’ online study portals. Study staff contacted these participants to schedule consultations via Zoom with a WISDOM Breast Health Specialist, who navigated the participant through the tool during an interactive 45-minute consultation. Participants could decline the consultation and use the tool independently. A survey was conducted afterward to assess the tool’s utility in motivating women to pursue risk-reducing options. ResultsWe surveyed 100 high-risk participants who used the BHD Tool. 65% found it very helpful in understanding their breast cancer risk. 27 participants listed additional lifestyle improvements that they were practicing or hoping to begin, including yoga, walking, breast exams, self-exams, yard work, dietary improvements, meditation, and stress reduction. 37% of participants agreed that the tool eased their breast cancer worries and anxiety, while 44% were neutral and 17% disagreed. At the time of presentation, we will present 3-month follow up data and report which preventive actions were actually taken and barriers encountered. ConclusionsThe BHD Tool synthesizes up-to-date chemoprevention literature in a patient-friendly interface to help educate women about their prevention options and to facilitate future discussions with a provider to empower informed decisions. Data from the first 100 high-risk women who used this tool suggest that the majority of women presented with information about their risk are interested in reducing it. More are considering lifestyle measures than medications. The BHD tool will be made available to all women in the personalized arm of the WISDOM Study. Future improvements include making the tool accessible to clinicians who counsel high-risk women. Survey questionNumber of participants (N=100)Interested in reducing chance of developing breast cancer97Currently participating in a breast cancer risk reducing activity*77Reducing alcohol intake35Losing weight60Increasing exercise27Risk reducing medications5Considering participating in a breast cancer risk reducing activity*72Reducing alcohol intake12Losing weight26Increasing exercise24Risk reducing medications22*Participants can choose more than one risk-reducing activity Citation Format: Tianyi Wang, Mandy Che, Yash Huilgol, Deborah Goodman, Holly Keane, Vivian Lee, Jeff Belkora, Allison Fiscalini, Laura Esserman. Validation study results for a personalized prevention education aid in breast cancer risk reduction [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS7-43.

Delayed Surgery after Neoadjuvant Treatment for Rectal Cancer Does Not Lead to Impaired Quality of Life, Worry for Cancer, or Regret.

Simple SummaryRectal cancer patients with an initial (near) complete clinical response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can be repeatedly assessed to see if a complete response endures. Up to 75% of these patients are able to avoid surgery and its related complications. However, the remaining 25% who ‘fail’ will eventually have to undergo surgery. Although recent studies have shown that patients undergoing delayed surgery have promising surgical and oncological outcomes, it is not known how these patients fare in terms of quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare quality of life between these immediate and delayed surgery groups through validated questionnaires. Our study including 51 patients shows no difference in quality of life, worry for cancer, or decision regret. Therefore, from a quality of life perspective, this study supports a repeated response assessment strategy after chemoradiotherapy for rectal carcinoma to identify all complete responders.Non operative management of complete clinical responders after neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer enjoys an increasing popularity because of the increased functional outcome results. Even a near complete response can evolve in a cCR, and therefore further delaying response assessment is accepted. However, up to 40% of patients will develop a regrowth and will eventually require delayed surgery. It is presently unknown if and to what extent quality of life of these patients is affected, compared to patients who undergo immediate surgery. Between January 2015-May 2020, 200 patients were treated with neoadjuvant therapy of whom 94 received TME surgery. Fifty-one (59%) of 87 alive patients returned the questionnaires: 33 patients who underwent immediate and 18 patients who underwent delayed surgery. Quality of life was measured through the QLQ-C30, QLQ-CR29, and Cancer Worry Scale questionnaires. Regret to participate in repeated response assessment protocol was assessed through the Decision Regret Scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a ‘known groups comparison’ was performed to assess QLQ questionnaires validity in this sample. Higher mean physical function scores (89.2 vs. 77.6, p = 0.03) were observed in the immediate surgery group, which lost significance after correction for operation type (p = 0.25). Arousal for men was higher in the delayed surgery group (20.0 vs. 57.1, p = 0.02). There were no differences between surgical groups for the other questionnaire items. Worry for cancer was lower in the delayed surgery group (10.8 vs. 14.0, p = 0.21). Regret was very low (12–16%). EFA reproduced most QLQ C-30 and CR29 subscales with good internal consistency. Quality of life is not impaired in patients undergoing delayed TME surgery after neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer. Moreover, there is very low regret and no increase in worry for cancer. Therefore, from a quality of life perspective, this study supports a repeated response assessment strategy after CRTx for rectal carcinoma to identify all complete responders.

Patient's worry about cancer and the general practitioner's suspicion of cancer or serious illness: A population-based study in Denmark.

A general practitioner's (GP's) suspicion of cancer is important to ensure early diagnosis of cancer. This study aimed to investigate the association between patients' cancer worry and GP's suspicion of cancer or serious illness. This population-based study was based on Danish register and questionnaire data from 4,175 incident cancer patients diagnosed in 2010 or 2016 and their GPs. The association between the patient's worry about cancer and their GP's suspicion of cancer or serious illness was estimated by generalised linear models with log link for the Poisson family and presented in prevalence rate ratios (PRR). For 6 in 10 of the cases, the first consultation was categorised by absence of both or either patient worry or GP suspicion. When patients worried about cancer, the GPs were more likely to suspect cancer or serious illness in patients (PRR=1.26, (95%CI: 1.20-1.34)). For all levels of patient worry and most pronounced among very worried patients, GPs less often suspected cancer or serious illness in patients who presented with an ´intermediate´ or ´hard´ to diagnose cancer. GPs were more likely to suspect cancer or serious illness in patients who worried about cancer at the first presentation.

A randomised controlled trial comparing internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) with and without main carer access versus treatment-as-usual for depression and anxiety among breast cancer survivors: Study protocol

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are common problems among breast cancer survivors. Carer support is one of the most important determinants of women's psychological wellbeing. Survivors' distress can be alleviated by giving carers access to survivors' evidence-based treatment, which will help carers understand what survivors have been going through and help survivors feel more supported. Given the limited access to evidence-based treatments, an adapted internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) intervention for breast cancer survivors, but also open for carers' access, has the potential to decrease survivors' depression and anxiety symptoms and improve cancer-related communication and relationship quality between survivors and carers. ObjectivesThis study evaluates (1) the effectiveness of a guided iCBT intervention for depression and/or anxiety symptoms among breast cancer survivors with and without main carer access, and (2) the acceptability and satisfaction with the iCBT programme. MethodIn this pilot study comparing the effectiveness of an adapted 7-week iCBT without main carer access against the iCBT with main carer access and treatment-as-usual control, 108 breast cancer survivors will be recruited and then randomised to either (1) treatment (n = 72) or (2) treatment-as-usual control group (n = 36) with a 2:1 ratio. The participants in the treatment group will be assigned to either iCBT alone or iCBT with the main carer also having access to the same content based on their preference. The primary outcome measure is the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and alongside secondary measures such as Cancer-Related Quality of Life, Breast Cancer Worry Scale, Brief COPE, and Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey will be completed by the survivors at baseline, post-treatment, and 2-month follow-up. Survivors who have carers will also complete Survivor-Carer Cancer Communication and Relationship Quality measures to provide insights into the effects of carer access. To assess the acceptability and satisfaction with the programme, survivors and their main carers will fill out the Helpful Aspects of Therapy Form (HAT) and Satisfaction with Online Treatment (SAT). Programme effectiveness and the effects of carer access on primary and secondary outcome measures will be evaluated on intention-to-treat and per-protocol basis using Linear-Mixed-Models. DiscussionThis is the first trial comparing the effectiveness and acceptability of iCBT with and without carer access for depression and anxiety among breast cancer survivors. The findings of this study will provide novel data on the acceptability of iCBT programmes for breast cancer survivors and the impact of carer access on them and their carers.

Determining transition readiness in Swiss childhood cancer survivors \u2013 a feasibility study

BackgroundThe successful transition of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) from pediatric to adult long-term follow-up care is a critical phase, and determining the right time point can be challenging. We assessed the feasibility of the use of existing transition readiness tools in the context of the Swiss health care system, assessed partly transition readiness in Swiss CCSs, and compared our findings with Canadian CCSs for which these tools were originally developed.MethodsWe officially translated the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS) and Self-Management Skill Scale (SMSS) into German and integrated them into this cross-sectional study. We included CCSs attending the long-term follow-up (LTFU) clinic in the Division of Oncology-Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Kantonsspital Aarau. We used descriptive statistics to describe transition readiness.ResultsWe randomly recruited 50 CCSs aged ≥18 years at participation. The CCSs had a median CWS score of 62 (interquartile range 55–71), indicating a moderate level of cancer-related worry. Despite high self-management skills, some answers showed a dependency of CCSs on their parents. Our experience shows that the CWS and SMSS are easy for Swiss CCSs to use, understand, and complete. The interpretation of the results must take differences in health care systems between countries into account.ConclusionsThe translated CWS and SMSS are appropriate additional measures to assess transition readiness in CCSs. These scales can be used longitudinally to find the individual time point for transition and the completion by CCSs enables the health care team to individualize the transition process and to support the CCSs according to their individual needs.

Acceptability, quality of life and cost overview of a remote follow-up plan for patients with colorectal cancer

IntroductionColorectal cancer (CRC) follow-up has a major impact on outpatient services. The aim was to examine patient acceptability and costs of a new remote follow-up regimen for patients with CRC. Material and methodsAll patients with stage I-III CRC and having completed at least one-year of follow-up at Radboud University Medical Center located in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, were considered for remote follow-up. Enrolled patients received the EORTC-C30 (Quality of Life, QoL), Cancer Worry Scale (Fear of Cancer Recurrence, FCR), (e)Health literacy and patient satisfaction questionnaires. Follow-up use and costs were evaluated. ResultsA total of 118 patients with stage I-III CRC have been followed according to the new remote follow-up regimen. Median length of follow-up at start of remote follow-up was 34 months (interquartile range of 24–41) and all patients were sufficiently health literate. Overall satisfaction towards remote follow-up at 6-and 12-months was rated 7.8 and 7.5 out of 10. Satisfaction with the online self-management information was rated 8 out of 10. Over a one-year period, QoL remained high and patients experienced low FCR. More than 70% of the patients self-organized their care, while the others sought contact by telephone, MyChart or hospital visits. Remote follow-up for the total cohort led to €22,408 cost-savings over one-year compared to standard hospital follow-up. ConclusionsImplementation of remote follow-up for patients with stage I-III CRC is feasible, comes with high patient satisfaction and considerable cost-savings. Short-term results did not show differences in QoL or FCR during the course of remote follow-up.

Home Radon Testing in Rural Appalachia.

This study compared differences in sociodemographic characteristics, personal risk perception of lung cancer, lung cancer worry, and synergistic risk perception among rural Appalachia residents who completed home radon testing with those who did not, after receiving a free long-term test kit at a rural primary care clinic. The study also examined the association between the Teachable Moment Model constructs and home radon testing. The study was an exploratory correlational design with a convenience sample of (N = 58) adult participants recruited from 2 rural primary care clinics in Appalachia Kentucky. Participants completed a brief survey and were given a free long-term home radon test kit. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine characteristics associated with home radon testing. Twenty-eight participants (48%) completed home radon testing. There were no differences in personal risk perception of lung cancer, lung cancer worry, or synergistic risk perception between those who completed home radon testing and those who did not. Age was the only significant factor associated with completion of radon testing (B = 0.077, P = .005). For every 5-year increase in age, participants were 47% more likely to test their home for radon. Providing free home radon test kits in the primary care setting shows promise in prompting radon testing in rural Appalachia. As radon-induced lung cancer risk increases with exposure over time, health care providers in rural Appalachia need to encourage patients of all ages to test their home for radon, especially those who smoke or report smoking in the home.

Electrochemotherapy and basal cell carcinomas: First-time appraisal of the efficacy of electrochemotherapy on survivorship using FACE-Q

SummaryIntroductionThe establishment and success of new treatments are significantly influenced by patient satisfaction. Post-operative scarring is an important outcome for patients, and subsequently influences overall satisfaction with treatment. The objective was to measure post-treatment scarring satisfaction using a novel scale, the FACE-Q Skin Cancer Module, to compare electrochemotherapy (ECT) to traditional surgical excision (SE) to demonstrate equivalence of ECT and SE regarding outcome and survivorship.Methods and materialsThis was a multicentre first-time appraisal study of the efficacy of ECT. All patients with facial BCCs treated with either ECT or SE were deemed eligible and subsequently recruited from either a previous clinical trial or outpatient clinics, respectively. Of the 40 participants invited, 25 responses were received. Patient information recorded included age, gender, location and size of BCCs, and time since treatment. Patient outcomes were measured using the FACE-Q Skin Cancer Module.ResultsThe ECT and SE groups consisted of 14 and 11 patients, respectively. Mean age was 68 years (M:F = 16:9), while mean time since treatment was 4.98 years (range 0.3–9.58 years). Appraisal of scars was significantly higher in the ECT cohort versus SE (p = 0.034). Cancer worry was equivalent across both cohorts (p = 0.804). According to treatment type, no correlation was detected between time since treatment and both appraisal of scars (ECT p = 0.466 and SE p = 0.214) and adverse effects (ECT p = 0.924 and SE p = 0.139).ConclusionBased on this study, ECT has superior scar outcomes and overall equivalence to SE. This demonstrates high patient satisfaction for those treated with ECT without any additional cancer worry.

Hostility in cancer patients as an underexplored facet of distress.

In the present study, we aimed to assess hostility and to examine its association with formal psychiatric diagnosis, coping, cancer worries, and quality of life in cancer patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to make an ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) psychiatric diagnosis was applied to 516 cancer outpatients. The patients also completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-53 to assess hostility (BSI-HOS), and the Mini-Mental Adjustment to cancer scale (Mini-MAC). A subset of patients completed the Cancer Worries Inventory (CWI), the Openness Scale, and the Quality of Life Index. By analyzing the distribution of the responses 25% of the patients had moderate and 11% high levels of hostility, with about 20% being BSI-HOS "cases." Hostility was higher in patients with a formal ICD-10 psychiatric diagnosis (mainly major depression, other depressive disorders, anxiety disorders) than patients without ICD-10 diagnosis. However, about 25% of ICD-10-non cases also had moderate-to-high hostility levels. Hostility was associated with Mini-MAC hopelessness and anxious preoccupation, poorer quality of life, worries (mainly problems sin interpersonal relationships), and inability to openly discuss these problems within the family. Hostility and its components should be considered as dimensions to be more carefully explored in screening for distress in cancer clinical settings for its implications in negatively impacting on quality of life, coping and relationships with the family, and possibly the health care system.

QOL-02. PERCEPTIONS OF LATE EFFECTS CARE NEEDS AMONG SURVIVORS OF PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOURS

OBJECTIVESPediatric brain tumour survivors are at risk of long-term consequences of therapy. Comprehensive late effects care may mitigate these risks, but the best care model is unclear. We sought to describe the care experience and quality of life (QOL) of pediatric brain tumour survivors at the McMaster Children’s Hospital joint adult/pediatric Neuro-Oncology clinic.METHODSCross-sectional survey data were collected. Care needs were assessed with the Cancer Care Experience Questionnaire (CCEQ), Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), and Self-Management Skills Scale (SMSS). Quality of life was measured utilizing the PedsQL Brain Tumor Module. Data were analyzed descriptively.RESULTSThirty-two childhood brain tumor survivors and/or their parents participated. Their malignancies included embryonal tumors (medulloblastoma/ATRT) (62%), ependymoma (22%), and germ cell tumours (16%). Among 77%, therapy included chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Most respondents reported high quality cancer care, although some could not recall discussions of late effects risks and health promotion. Mean cancer worry scores were low (71.8 (± 28.4)). Survivors reported limited self-management skills (58.5 (±18.2)), with support required in clinic visits, arranging medical appointments, filling prescriptions and tasks of daily living. Overall median QOL scores were in the ‘good’ range (parental report 72.3 (±17.7), survivor 68.2 (±16.6)).CONCLUSIONIn comparison to other childhood cancer survivor cohorts, this group of long-term brain tumour survivors appear to have similar QOL, fewer cancer worries, and increased need for aid with self-management. Given this, along with the positive care experience reported, this clinic model of care appears to meet the needs of this population.

Psychological outcomes of low-dose CT lung cancer screening in a multisite demonstration screening pilot: the Lung Screen Uptake Trial (LSUT)

BackgroundPrevious studies of psychological burden in low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening trials may lack generalisability due to participation bias and control arms having elevated distress.MethodsCurrent and former smokers (n=787,...

Not as Stable as We Think: A Descriptive Study of 12 Monthly Assessments of Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Curatively-Treated Breast Cancer Survivors 0-5 Years After Surgery.

Purpose: Previous studies suggest one-third of breast cancer survivors (BCS) experience elevated fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and that it remains stable. Most studies include long assessment intervals and aggregated group data. This study aimed to describe the individual trajectories of FCR when assessed monthly using both a statistical and descriptive approach.Methods: Participants were curatively-treated BCS 0–5 years post-surgery. Questionnaire data were collected monthly for 12 months. Primary outcome was FCR [Cancer Worry Scale (CWS)]. For the descriptive approach, 218 participants were classified as low (CWS ≤ 13 at each assessment), high (CWS ≥ 14 at each assessment), or fluctuating FCR (CWS scores above and below cut-off). Latent class growth analysis (LCGA; n = 377) was conducted to identify trajectories over time.Results: Around 58% of the women reported fluctuating CWS scores, 22% reported a consistently high and 21% consistently low course. Results of the LCGA confirmed the three-class approach including a stable high FCR group (13%), a low FCR group (40%), and a moderate FCR group (47%). Both the moderate and low scoring groups reported declining scores over time. Younger patients, higher educated patients, and those less satisfied with the medical treatment were more likely to belong to the moderate or high trajectory. Conclusion: Assessed monthly, the majority of BCS report fluctuating levels of FCR. Stepped-care models should assess FCR on multiple occasions before offering tailored interventions.

Public attitudes towards screening for kidney cancer: an online survey

BackgroundKidney cancer is often asymptomatic, leading to proposals for a screening programme. The views of the public towards introducing a new screening programme for kidney cancer are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards kidney cancer screening and factors influencing intention to attend a future screening programme.MethodsWe conducted an online population-based survey of 1021 adults aged 45–77 years. The main outcome measure was intention to attend four possible screening tests (urine, blood, ultrasound scan, low-dose CT) as well as extended low-dose CT scans within lung cancer screening programmes. We used multivariable regression to examine the association between intention and each screening test.ResultsMost participants stated that they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to undergo each of the screening tests [urine test: n = 961 (94.1%); blood test: n = 922 (90.3%); ultrasound: n = 914 (89.5%); low-dose CT: n = 804 (78.8%); lung CT: n = 962 (95.2%)]. Greater intention to attend was associated with higher general cancer worry and less perceived burden/inconvenience about the screening tests. Less worry about the screening test was also associated with higher intention to attend, but only in those with low general cancer worry (cancer worry scale ≤ 5). Compared with intention to take up screening with a urine test, participants were half as likely to report that they intended to undergo blood [OR 0.56 (0.43–0.73)] or ultrasound [OR 0.50 (0.38–0.67)] testing, and half as likely again to report that they intended to take part in a screening programme featuring a low dose CT scan for kidney cancer screening alone [OR 0.19 (0.14–0.27)].ConclusionParticipants in this study expressed high levels of intention to accept an invitation to screening for kidney cancer, both within a kidney cancer specific screening programme and in conjunction with lung cancer screening. The choice of screening test is likely to influence uptake. Together these findings support on-going research into kidney cancer screening tests and the potential for combining kidney cancer screening with existing or new screening programmes.

Single item to assess for worry for cancer: Initial evidence of validity and reliability

ObjectiveTo translate into Spanish and evaluate the evidence of content validity, construct validity and reliability of the Cancer Worry Chart as a single item measure of worry for cancer. MethodThe Spanish translation of the Cancer Worry Chart was done with the back-translation procedure. The participants were 165 healthy people with a family history of cancer who responded to the Cancer Worry Chart and the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS). ResultsTranslation back-translation allows a Spanish version of the Cancer Worry Chart whose content is clear, coherent and relevant (V>.70). Evidence of construct validity is reported based on 3 criteria: (a) an adequate adjustment of the one-dimensional model formed by the Cancer Worry Chart and the items of the CWS performed with the structural equations method (χ2S-B=23.38; df=14; χ2S-B/df=1.67; CFI=.988; RMSEA=.064); (b) a significant correlation between the Cancer Worry Chart and the CWS (r=.76 [IC95%: .68–.90]); (c) ascending averages in the CWS score as the groups formed by each response option of the Cancer Worry Chart express a greater degree of worry (F=55.72; p=.000; ω2=.57). The reliability of the Cancer Worry Chart is above what is recommended (αsingle item=.84). ConclusionThe Spanish version of the Cancer Worry Chart showed satisfactory evidence of content validity, construct validity and reliability to measure, briefly, quickly and generally, the worry for cancer in healthy people with a family history of cancer.

Baseline cancer worry and tumor marker testing among earlier-stage breast cancer patients participating in a Choosing Wisely pilot.

153 Background: We developed a patient-facing video aimed at raising early breast cancer survivors’ adherence to ASCO’s Choosing Wisely recommendation against surveillance tumor marker testing. To understand the impact of the video on cancer worry regarding recurrence, we surveyed breast cancer survivors before and after viewing the video. Methods: Women with stage I-IIIA breast cancer (N=246) treated at six regional community clinics were surveyed prior to viewing a video at the start of surveillance, then again at follow-up one year later (N=171). Both surveys included the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS-8 items, 4-point Likert scale). Tumor marker (TM) testing during surveillance was collected for 728 patients and linked to surveys among those who provided consent (N=105). Results: Most women (77%) were white age 50+. Among women who completed both questionnaires (N=153), the average CWS summary score was 17.1 at baseline (range=9-29) and 16.9 at follow-up ( p=0.48, range=8-30). Women who did not view the video (A) and those with high baseline cancer worry (B) who viewed the video had similar rates of TM testing (19%) compared to patients with low baseline cancer worry (C) who viewed the video (3%). Cancer worry is highly correlated with the decision to use of TM testing. Viewing an informational video that provided evidence-based advice on follow-up and testing did not impact cancer worry. Enrollment among eligible patients was impacted by challenges to proactively identify and consent patients during their transition to surveillance. Conclusions: Patients with high baseline cancer worry may need different or additional guidance beyond an educational video during their transition to surveillance for breast cancer. [Table: see text]