BACKGROUND: Young adults (YAs; ages 18-39 years) with cancer face interrupted developmental milestones and increased stressors that can adversely influence psychosocial adjustment. Transitioning from active treatment to posttreatment survivorship can be particularly challenging. The purpose of this study is to describe the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and psychological adaptation of YAs after treatment, relative to young adults without cancer. METHODS: Three cohorts of YAs of mixed cancer diagnoses (N = 120, 0-12 months after treatment; N = 102, 13-24 months after treatment; and N = 113, 25-60 months after treatment; combined M = 31.8 years old, combined sex = 68% women) and an age-, education-, sex-, and partner status-matched group of healthy control participants (HCs; N = 335) were recruited via an online research panel. All participants completed measures assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, HRQL (physical, emotional, social, and spiritual), and psychological adaptation (anxiety, depression, positive affect, posttraumatic growth). Measure content was slightly modified for applicability to HCs without a cancer history. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of covariance found a significant main effect for group (YAs versus HCs) and a significant group-by-cohort interaction. YAs reported poorer physical (P = .005, d = .22) and emotional well-being (P = .011, d = .20) but better social well-being (P < .001, d = .49). YAs reported comparatively stable scores (P = .74) for posttraumatic growth compared to HCs, who reported greater posttraumatic growth across cohorts (P = .01, d = 16). CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the negative and positive sequelae for YAs and highlight the need for comprehensive assessment among YA survivors of cancer. A matched, HC group allows the HRQL and psychological adaptation of YAs to be placed in context, enabling a more precise determination of the impact of cancer on YAs.
BACKGROUND: Young adults (YAs; ages 18-39 years) with cancer face interrupted developmental milestones and increased stressors that can adversely influence psychosocial adjustment. Transitioning from active treatment to posttreatment survivorship can be particularly challenging. The purpose of this study is to describe the health-related quality of life (HRQL) and psychological adaptation of YAs after treatment, relative to young adults without cancer. METHODS: Three cohorts of YAs of mixed cancer diagnoses (N = 120, 0-12 months after treatment; N = 102, 13-24 months after treatment; and N = 113, 25-60 months after treatment; combined M = 31.8 years old, combined sex = 68% women) and an age-, education-, sex-, and partner status-matched group of healthy control participants (HCs; N = 335) were recruited via an online research panel. All participants completed measures assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, HRQL (physical, emotional, social, and spiritual), and psychological adaptation (anxiety, depression, positive affect, posttraumatic growth). Measure content was slightly modified for applicability to HCs without a cancer history. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of covariance found a significant main effect for group (YAs versus HCs) and a significant group-by-cohort interaction. YAs reported poorer physical (P = .005, d = .22) and emotional well-being (P = .011, d = .20) but better social well-being (P < .001, d = .49). YAs reported comparatively stable scores (P = .74) for posttraumatic growth compared to HCs, who reported greater posttraumatic growth across cohorts (P = .01, d = 16). CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the negative and positive sequelae for YAs and highlight the need for comprehensive assessment among YA survivors of cancer. A matched, HC group allows the HRQL and psychological adaptation of YAs to be placed in context, enabling a more precise determination of the impact of cancer on YAs.
Authors: Arnie Cann; Lawrence G Calhoun; Richard G Tedeschi; Kanako Taku; Tanya Vishnevsky; Kelli N Triplett; Suzanne C Danhauer Journal: Anxiety Stress Coping Date: 2010
Authors: Ashley Wilder Smith; Keith M Bellizzi; Theresa H M Keegan; Brad Zebrack; Vivien W Chen; Anne Victoria Neale; Ann S Hamilton; Margarett Shnorhavorian; Charles F Lynch Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2013-05-06 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Honghu Liu; David Cella; Richard Gershon; Jie Shen; Leo S Morales; William Riley; Ron D Hays Journal: J Clin Epidemiol Date: 2010-08-05 Impact factor: 6.437
Authors: Richard C Gershon; Jin Shei Lai; Rita Bode; Seung Choi; Claudia Moy; Tom Bleck; Deborah Miller; Amy Peterman; David Cella Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2011-08-27 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Keith M Bellizzi; Ashley Smith; Steven Schmidt; Theresa H M Keegan; Brad Zebrack; Charles F Lynch; Dennis Deapen; Margarett Shnorhavorian; Bradley J Tompkins; Michael Simon Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-03-13 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: David Cella; Martin J Zagari; Christina Vandoros; Dennis D Gagnon; Hans-Jürgen Hurtz; Johan W R Nortier Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2003-01-15 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Keith M Bellizzi; Noreen M Aziz; Julia H Rowland; Kathryn Weaver; Neeraj K Arora; Ann S Hamilton; Ingrid Oakley-Girvan; Gretchen Keel Journal: J Cancer Epidemiol Date: 2012-07-25
Authors: Alexis R Munoz; Karen Kaiser; Betina Yanez; David Victorson; Sofia F Garcia; Mallory A Snyder; John M Salsman Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2016-07-19 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Sarah Nicole Hamilton; Omair Arshad; Jaime Kwok; Eric Tran; A Fuchsia Howard; Isabel Serrano; Karen Goddard Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2018-11-22 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Kelly J Brassil; Joan C Engebretson; Terri S Armstrong; Julie H Segovia; Laura L Worth; Barbara L Summers Journal: Cancer Nurs Date: 2015 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 2.592
Authors: John M Salsman; Suzanne C Danhauer; Justin B Moore; Mollie R Canzona; David E Victorson; Bradley J Zebrack; Bryce B Reeve Journal: Cancer Date: 2020-09-10 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: David Victorson; Sofia F Garcia; Stacy Sanford; Mallory A Snyder; Sara Lampert; John M Salsman Journal: J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol Date: 2019-07-22 Impact factor: 2.223
Authors: Rebecca A Campo; Karen Bluth; Sheila J Santacroce; Sarah Knapik; Julia Tan; Stuart Gold; Kamaira Philips; Susan Gaylord; Gary N Asher Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2017-01-19 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Kimberly A Miller; Katherine Y Wojcik; Cynthia N Ramirez; Anamara Ritt-Olson; David R Freyer; Ann S Hamilton; Joel E Milam Journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer Date: 2016-08-27 Impact factor: 3.167