Prevalence Of Fear Of Cancer Recurrence Research Articles

Comparison of the sense of spousal support, anxiety, depression and their relationship to fear of cancer recurrence between lymphoma patients and their spouses: A cross-sectional study in China.

To investigate the level of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in spouses of patients with lymphoma and its relationship with patients' FCR, as well as the correlations between FCR, sense of spousal support (SSS), anxiety, and depression in the couples. A cross-sectional study of 233 couples where one partner had lymphoma was conducted from May 2021 to February 2022. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Spouse Support Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The Fear of Progression Questionnaire (for patients) and Fear of Progression Questionnaire for Partners (for spouses) were used to measure FCR. Descriptive analyses, t-tests, variance analysis, Spearman's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed. The prevalence of FCR, anxiety, and depression in patients was 37.7%, 68.7%, and 83.3%, respectively. The prevalence of FCR, anxiety, and depression in spouses was 56.2%, 78.1%, and 81.1%, respectively. Spouses' FCR scores were higher than those of patients, whereas patients' SSS and anxiety scores were higher than those of their spouses. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that patients' anxiety and SSS, as well as spouses' FCR were significantly associated with patients' FCR. Variables significantly associated with higher FCR among spouses were anxiety, per capita monthly household income, and patients' FCR. Patients with lymphoma and their spouses have a certain degree of FCR, anxiety, and depression. FCR levels in spouses are higher than in patients. Psychological support interventions for couples may be effective in reducing FCR and facilitating family adaptation to cancer.

Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Sarcoma Survivors: Results from the SURVSARC Study.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among sarcoma survivors 2 to 10 years after diagnosis. Patients completed the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), the global health status subscale of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and a custom-made questionnaire on follow-up care. In total, 1047 patients were included (response rate 55%). The prevalence of high FCR was 45%. Factors associated with high FCR were female sex with 1.6 higher odds (95% CI 1.22-2.25; p = 0.001); having ≥1 comorbidities and receiving any treatment other than surgery alone with 1.5 (95% CI 1.07-2.05; p = 0.017) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.06-1.98; p = 0.020) higher odds, respectively. Patients on active follow-up had 1.7 higher odds (95% CI 1.20-2.61; p = 0.004) and patients with higher levels of FCR scored lower on the global health status scale (72 vs. 83 p ≤ 0.001). Severe FCR is common in sarcoma survivors and high levels are related to a decreased global health status. FCR deserves more attention in sarcoma survivorship, and structured support programs should be developed to deliver interventions in a correct and time adequate environment.

Need for a primary care–based intervention for fear of cancer recurrence: conclusions from the BLANKET trial

Abstract Background: More than half of cancer survivors experience fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). There has been a call for easily accessible, inexpensive interventions for moderate FCR to complement existing specialized care. In the randomized BLANKET trial, we investigated the effectiveness of a short, primary care intervention for FCR. We report on the potential of the intervention and the suitability of primary care to offer this intervention. Methods: The BLANKET trial is a cluster randomized controlled trial with change in FCR severity (severity subscale of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory) as its main outcome. Participating general practitioners invited all patients who completed successful curative cancer treatment between 3 months and 10 years ago. We report effect measures, outcome of our recruitment strategy, intervention uptake, reasons not to participate, and experiences with the intervention. Results: Sixty-two of 1368 (4.5%) invited cancer survivors participated. Main reported reasons not to participate were not experiencing FCR and not wanting help. Owing to the low participation, we could not robustly evaluate the intervention's effectiveness. Indicatively, in the intention-to-treat analysis, FCR severity decreased from T0 to T1 by 2.7 points (standard deviation [SD] = 4.7) in the intervention group (n = 27) and 1.8 points (SD = 3.6) in the control group (n = 18). In the per-protocol analysis, the decreases were 3.5 points (SD = 4.5) and 0.7 points (SD = 2.7), respectively. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of FCR and the need for help for FCR are high according to the literature, the uptake of our primary care–based intervention was low. Although the intervention shows potential, alternative delivery routes need to be explored because of the low number of patients who need help for FCR per primary care practice. We recommend additional research on the impact of FCR, on which patients require and desire help, and on what kind of intervention and setting are fitting for what patients.

Fear of cancer recurrence among cancer survivors in Singapore.

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) among cancer survivors is a persistent and distressing psychosocial concern that affects recovery and quality of life. The prevalence of FCR in Singapore is unknown. This cross-sectional study was designed to examine FCR and identify factors associated with FCR in mixed-cancer survivors locally. Cancer survivors in remission (n = 404) were assessed for: FCR using the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI); emotional distress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; and quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF. Clinical and severe/pathological FCR was determined based on the severity scale of FCRI, known as FCRI-Short Form. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to examine factors associated with FCR. The mean score on the FCRI was 59.5 ± 30.4. 43.6% of cancer survivors had clinical FCR and 32.1% had severe/pathological FCR. Younger age (odds ratio [OR] 0.952, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.911-0.995, p < 0.05), higher educational status (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.15-5.65, p < 0.05) and higher levels of emotional distress (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.24, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with severe/pathological levels of FCR. The present study is the first to determine levels of FCR among cancer survivors in Singapore. While the total FCR scores were similar to those of international studies, severe/pathological levels of FCR were found to be four times higher. These findings highlight a problem that is not widely recognised or acknowledged, but which deserves greater attention.

Fear of cancer recurrence in males diagnosed with breast cancer

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) isa significant problem for individuals diagnosed with a variety of different cancers. To date, FCR has not been studied in males with breast cancer. The objective of this study was to examine the severity of FCR in males with breast cancer. Males with breast cancer participated in an anonymous online survey and completed the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form scale (FCRI-SF). A frequency analysis was used to determine the percentage of participants that fell above or below the clinical cutoff for significant FCR. Regressions explored associations between FCR, age, cancer stage, time since diagnosis, and self-health rating. Fifty-nine participants completed the FCRI-SF. The mean age of the sample was 63.5 and 93% reported their race as white. The mean FCR score was 23.9 and 61% reported clinically significant FCR. More than 80% of the sample experienced at least problematic levels of FCR. Increasing age was associated with decreased FCR. Results of this study suggest that FCR is prevalent in men with breast cancer but larger studies with representative samples should be undertaken to better assess the prevalence of FCR in this population and compare it with other groups of patients. More attention is needed to understandthe psychological distress experiencedby men diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.

An Updated Systematic Review of Quantitative Studies Assessing Anxiety, Depression, Fear of Cancer Recurrence or Psychological Distress in Testicular Cancer Survivors.

PurposeA diagnosis of testicular cancer (TC) at a relatively young age can have a dramatic impact on the psychological well-being of those affected. The aim of this review was to synthesize recent evidence to provide an updated account of the prevalence, severity and correlates of anxiety, depression, fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and distress in TC survivors.Patients and MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted from September 2017 until June 2020 using electronic databases including Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Study eligibility and quality were independently assessed by two reviewers. Narrative synthesis was used to depict the severity (mean/median scores), prevalence (proportions above standard clinical thresholds) and correlates of study outcomes.ResultsA total of 988 articles were identified for screening after duplicate removal. Fifty-six full-text articles were screened, and eight articles met the inclusion criteria. The reported prevalence of the outcomes varied across studies (clinical levels of anxiety ranged from 6.9% to 21.1%, depression varied from 4.7% to 7%, distress was found between 25% and 41.4%, prevalence of FCR was not reported). Few studies compared TC survivors with other populations. Correlates of poorer psychological outcomes included younger age, relationship status, employment status, poorer sexual functioning, impaired masculinity and coping strategies.ConclusionAnxiety seems to be the most common issue for TC survivors. Men who are single or unemployed appear most at risk of poorer psychological outcomes, which seem associated with impaired masculinity and sexual function. More research is needed to identify TC survivors most likely to need one of the increasing number of psychological interventions being developed for TC survivors.

Fear of cancer recurrence among patients and survivors diagnosed with localized renal cell carcinoma.

649 Background: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is considered one of the most pervasive and burdensome sources of distress for patients. Whereas it can be considered an adaptive response to real threats associated with diagnosis, treatment and disease, numerous studies have suggested that elevated levels can be dysfunctional. Despite this extensive body of research, little is known regarding FCR among individuals diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The current study sought to describe the prevalence of FCR among patients with RCC. Methods: Patients with localized RCC participated in an international survey from 07/19 to 09/19, through an online platform devised by a non-profit patient advocacy group (KCCure). Patients were assessed for FCR using the FCR-7, a 7-item measure, ranging from 0 to 28. A cutoff score of 17 indicates a moderate level of FCR, while a cutoff of 27 indicates severe level of FCR. Linear regression was used to determine the association between FCR and patients’ characteristics. Results: A total of 1150 patients participated in this survey, of which 412 had localized disease and were assessed for FCR. The majority were female (79%), with a median age of 54 years old (range, 30-80), and well-educated (58%). Patients were predominantly from US (85%), Canada (4%) and Germany (2%) and lived in suburban (48%) or rural areas (32%). More than half of participants were diagnosed with disease stage I (56%) and the remainder were divided between stage II (19%) and III (24%). More than half of patients (55%) reported a moderate or severe level of FCR. Younger patients (p=0.001) and those of female gender (p=0.004) were more likely to report higher levels of FCR. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify the degree of FCR among patients and survivors diagnosed with localized RCC. Importantly, high rates of FCR were associated with female gender and younger age, possibly driven by the fact that women may be more open to disclosing emotional symptoms and younger patients are still to pass through many life milestones and thus fear may be more pronounced. Targeted assessment and interventions are needed to address this highly prevalent form of distress among those diagnosed with RCC.

Fear of cancer recurrence and associations with mental health status and individual characteristics among cancer survivors: Findings from a nationally representative sample.

147 Background: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and related constructs are experienced by many cancer survivors and are consistently identified as important areas of need. This study adds to sparse literature on this topic by describing the prevalence of FCR and testing its associations with mental health status measures in a US sample of cancer survivors. Methods: Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Supplement (n = 1,032), we examined socio-demographic, health and mental health characteristics of cancer survivors by their level of fear of cancer recurrence (none, low, high). Survey-weighted population-based estimates describe the prevalence of key variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test associations between validated measures of mental health status and individual characteristics, and levels of FCR in models unadjusted and controlling for socio-demographic and health characteristics. MEPS survey weights were applied in all analyses to account for the survey design. Results: Overall, 34% of cancer survivors reported no FCR, 54% reported low FCR, and 11% reported high FCR. Cancer survivors were at increased risk of reporting high FCR relative to no FCR if they had a low 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) Mental Component Summary (MCS) score (≤48) compared to high scores (odds ratio = 2.89; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.58, 5.32). Reporting depressive symptoms or psychological distress did not significantly increase the risk of reporting high or low FCR relative to no FCR. Conclusions: This study is the first to provide US population-based estimates of associations between FCR and individual, health and mental characteristics. Our results also provide valuable information on which survivors are most at-risk for FCR, and add to a new and growing literature supporting FCR as a multidimensional construct distinct from depression and distress. Future research is needed to more clearly differentiate FCR from other constructs, specifically anxiety disorders, and to identify clinically significant levels of FCR to better target survivors with the highest needs.