Fear of cancer recurrence and adverse cancer treatment outcomes: predicting 2- to 5-year fear of recurrence from post-treatment symptoms and functional problems in uveal melanoma survivors

Author(s):  
Stephen L. Brown ◽  
Peter Fisher ◽  
Laura Hope-Stone ◽  
Bertil Damato ◽  
Heinrich Heimann ◽  
...  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. LBA10000-LBA10000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane McNeil Beith ◽  
Belinda Thewes ◽  
Jane Turner ◽  
Jemma Gilchrist ◽  
Louise Sharpe ◽  
...  

LBA10000 Background: Up to 70% of cancer survivors report clinically significant fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). This parallel RCT evaluated the impact of a psychological intervention, Conquer Fear (CF), on FCR in cancer survivors. Methods: Participants were disease-free stage I-III breast, colorectal or melanoma cancer survivors, 2 months to 5 years post-treatment, who scored above the clinical cut-off (≥13) on the FCR Inventory (FCRI) severity subscale. CF included 5 sessions incorporating attention training, detached mindfulness, challenging unhelpful metacognitions, values clarification and psycho-education. Participants were randomised to the intervention ( n= 121) or a relaxation training (RT) control arm ( n= 101) (target n= 260). The primary end-point was reduction in FCR (FCRI total) immediately after intervention completion. Follow-up assessments occurred immediately, 3- and 6-months post-treatment. Data analysis was by intention to treat. The differences in change in FCR from baseline between CF and RT and secondary outcomes were tested using independent t-tests. A difference of 14.5 points in FCR was considered clinically significant. Long-term changes in FCR and secondary outcomes were evaluated using linear regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations (GEE), adjusted for baseline FCR. Results: Reduction in FCR between baseline and immediately post-treatment was significantly more in CF participants compared to RT. (Difference in change (95% CI): -10.5 (-16.1, -4.9); p < 0.001). Greater FCR reductions were also observed amongst CF participants at 3 months (-7.6 (-13.9, -1.4), p = 0.02) and 6 months (-7.8 (-14.2, -1.4), p = 0.02) compared with RT. The pattern of change in outcomes over time was consistent between treatment groups as no significant linear trends in treatment effects over time were observed. Conclusions: Conquer Fear is a theoretically-grounded intervention to reduce FCR and its associated psychological morbidity which leads to significantly greater reductions in FCR in the first 6 months following treatment than relaxation training. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12612000404820.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily C Soriano ◽  
Rosmeiry Valera ◽  
Elizabeth C Pasipanodya ◽  
Amy K Otto ◽  
Scott D Siegel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a top ongoing concern of breast cancer (BC) survivors and thus the focus of recent intervention development. The Self-Regulation Model of FCR (Lee-Jones C, Humphris G, Dixon R, Hatcher MB. Fear of cancer recurrence–a literature review and proposed cognitive formulation to explain exacerbation of recurrence fears. Psychooncology. 1997;6:95–105.) states that everyday cancer-related events trigger FCR, which, in turn, leads to specific behavioral responses, including checking the body for signs or symptoms of cancer. Links between triggering events, FCR, and checking behavior have not yet been studied in the context of daily life or at the within-person level. Purpose The goal of this study was to examine whether FCR has a within-person link with daily checking behavior and whether FCR mediates the link between triggering events and checking behavior. Methods Seventy-two early-stage BC survivors completed daily diaries over a 21-day period approximately 5 months after BC surgery. FCR, checking behavior, and triggering events were assessed each evening. Results Multilevel modeling results indicated that FCR predicted greater odds of same-day, but not next-day, checking behavior. We found that daily FCR significantly mediated the same-day effect of triggering events on checking behavior. These average within-person effects varied substantially between patients and were not explained by momentary negative affect. Conclusions Findings support the within-person relationship between triggering events, FCR, and checking behavior posited by guiding theory, and can inform FCR intervention development.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tri Wijayanti ◽  
Yati Afiyanti ◽  
Hayuni Rahmah ◽  
Ariesta Milanti

Background: Fear of cancer recurrence is a long-term psychological problem of the cancer survivors regardless of the type of cancer. A growing number of studies had addressed fear of cancer recurrence, yet they are largely focused on the breast cancer survivors of the western world countries. This study investigates the fear of cancer recurrence and its relations to social support in Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors. Methods: Gynecological cancer survivors (n = 153) in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia completed Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, socio-demographic and clinically-related characteristics questionnaires. Pearson r correlation tests, t-tests, and ANOVAs were used to identify the relationships between variables, and linear regression to determine to what extent the social support may predict the survivors? fear of recurrence. Results: Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors with higher social support were more likely to experience lower levels of fear of cancer recurrence. Whereas, having a family history of cancer was an important predictor of fear of cancer recurrence levels. Conclusion: Social support plays an essential role in predicting fear of cancer recurrence among Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaira Hamama-Raz ◽  
Shiri Shinan-Altman ◽  
Inbar Levkovich

Abstract Objective: Cervical cancer often takes an emotional and mental toll on the affected woman. Fear of cancer recurrence was identified as one of the most prominent unmet needs in patients and survivors. The present study sought to explore meaning of fear of cancer recurrence among cervical cancer survivors owing to the paucity of studies regarding this population. Methods: In this qualitative research, semi structured interviews conducted with 15 cervical cancer survivors. Interviewees' mean age was 41.33 years (range 34-47 years) and time since diagnosis ranged from six months to seven years (mean - 3.1 years). Results: Three central themes emerged that represent intrapersonal and interpersonal processes that begin with relief from fears of cancer recurrence, alongside acknowledgement of being no longer resilient, representing the intrapersonal level. Next, an interpersonal level that included mutual fears shared by the interviewee and her partner, reflected either by coping together or coping alone. Finally, fear of recurrence became a combination of intrapersonal and interpersonal processes manifested by the greatest fear - death, expressed by both the interviewee and her family members. Conclusions: The present findings revealed that the meaning of fear of cancer recurrence represents intrapersonal and interpersonal processes encompassing three factors – uncertainty, social-cognitive processing and death anxiety. Accordingly, potential psycho-social treatment options could be tailored specific to the dominance of these factors for cervical cancer survivor.


Author(s):  
Lysnyk K.A.

he article reflects the results of a review of theoretical models presented in foreign scientific journals, that are describing the cognitive and emotional components of the causes of fear of cancer recurrence – serious problem in psycho oncology, which cancer survivals are faced to and that significantly impair their quality of life. Also we investigate goals of psychological influence to reduce the clinical level and/or overcome the fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivals and available proven practical methods of correction of their psychological state. Purpose: to carry out a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of existing theoretical and empirical models of overcoming the high level of fear of recurrence in cancer survivals. Methods: review of existing publications on the selected topic; classification of available theoretical models for explaining the fear of cancer recurrence; analysis and description of the cognitive and emotional constructs of the course of this psychological phenomenon; generalizations about the effectiveness of practical methods of psychosocial impact on cancer survivals in order to reduce the clinical level of their fear of cancer recurrence. Results: There were identified six theoretical models of the origin and course of the fear of cancer recurrence in cancer patients and five research of the introduction of practical methods for correcting the clinical level of this fear. All existing theories and practical methods that have been proposed in foreign research so far originate from the cognitive-behavioral paradigm, but each year they become more personalized and include a social component of supporting too. Some of them are very interesting to practical psychooncologysts. Conclusions. The prospect of further research is to create a native method of reducing the fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivals taking into account the identified models and effective methods of influence; and conducting a practical research of the effectiveness of this method in Ukrainian cancer survivals, as the fear of cancer recurrence significantly affects their subsequent quality of life.Key words: psychooncology, cognitive model of cancer desease, coping strategies, clinical level of FCR, methods of psychosocial correction. У статті відображено результати огляду іноземних наукових видань стосовно теми страху рецидиву раку в онкопацієнтів із метою виявлення теоретичних моделей, що описують когнітивні та емоційні складники причин виникнення страху рецидиву раку, з яким стикаються онкоодужуючі. Також за результатами огляду теоретично досліджено, які цілі психологічного впливу найчастіше обирають пси-хоонкологи для зниження клінічного рівня та/або подолання страху рецидиву раку відповідно до обраних теоретичних моделей. Проведено огляд та порівняння наявних апробованих практичних методів корекції психологічного стану в онкоодужуючих. Мета – здійснити порівняльний аналіз ефективності наявних теоретичних та емпіричних моделей подолання високого рівня страху рецидиву в онкоодужуючих.Методи: огляд наявних публікацій з обраної теми в іноземних наукових виданнях; класифікація наявних теоретичних моделей пояснення виникнення страху рецидиву раку; аналіз та опис когнітивних та емоційних конструктів перебігу цього психологічного явища; узагальнення ефективності апробова-них практичних методів психосоціального впливу, застосованих до онкоодужуючих у різних дослідженнях із метою зниження клінічного рівня страху рецидиву раку. Результати: виявлено шість теоретичних моделей виникнення та перебігу страху рецидиву раку в онкоодужуючих та п’ять досліджень упровадження практичних методів корекції клінічного рівня цього страху. Всі наявні теорії і практичні методи, які дотепер запропоновані в іноземних дослідженнях, походять із когнітивно-поведінкової парадигми, стаючи з кожним роком усе більше персоналізованими, та включають соціальний складник підтримки. Деякі з них становлять практичний інтерес для психоонкологів. Висновки. Перспективою подальших досліджень є створення, ураховуючи виявлені моделі та ефективні методи впливу, вітчизняної методики зменшення страху рецидиву в онкоодужуючих; проведення практичного дослідження ефективності цієї створеної методики в українських онкоодужуючих, оскільки страх рецидиву раку суттєво впливає на подальшу якість життя.Ключові слова: психоонкологія,когнітивна модель онкохвороби, поведінкові стратегії подолання, клінічний рівень FCR, методи психосоціальної корекції.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Hovdenak Jakobsen ◽  
Mette Moustgaard Jeppesen ◽  
Sébastien Simard ◽  
Henriette Vind Thaysen ◽  
Søren Laurberg ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Humphris ◽  
E. Watson ◽  
M. Sharpe ◽  
G. Ozakinci

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