Daniëlle E J Starreveld1,2, Sabine E Markovitz3, Gerard van Breukelen4, Madelon L Peters2. 1. Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 2. Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands. 3. ZOL Ziekenhuizen Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium. 4. Department of Methodology and Statistics, CAPHRI School for Care and Public Health, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the time course and predictors of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in breast cancer survivors over a period of 18 months after initial surgery. METHODS: Breast cancer patients (n = 267) were followed until 18 months after primary breast surgery. Shortly after surgery, participants completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised to measure optimism and the Concerns about Recurrence Scale to measure FCR. Mixed regression analysis was performed with age, optimism, marital status, education, type of surgery, with or without lymphectomy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiotherapy, time since surgery, and all interactions with time as predictors of FCR. RESULTS: The final model included a significant interaction between age and time since surgery and a main effect for optimism. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the course of FCR depends on the age of breast cancer survivors. Younger survivors showed an increase of fear during the first 1.5 years after breast surgery, whereas older survivors showed stable levels during the first 6 months after which it declined. Also, less optimistic survivors reported higher levels of FCR. Health care providers should pay (extra) attention to FCR in younger and less optimistic patients and offer psychological help when needed.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the time course and predictors of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in breast cancer survivors over a period of 18 months after initial surgery. METHODS:Breast cancerpatients (n = 267) were followed until 18 months after primary breast surgery. Shortly after surgery, participants completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised to measure optimism and the Concerns about Recurrence Scale to measure FCR. Mixed regression analysis was performed with age, optimism, marital status, education, type of surgery, with or without lymphectomy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiotherapy, time since surgery, and all interactions with time as predictors of FCR. RESULTS: The final model included a significant interaction between age and time since surgery and a main effect for optimism. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the course of FCR depends on the age of breast cancer survivors. Younger survivors showed an increase of fear during the first 1.5 years after breast surgery, whereas older survivors showed stable levels during the first 6 months after which it declined. Also, less optimistic survivors reported higher levels of FCR. Health care providers should pay (extra) attention to FCR in younger and less optimistic patients and offer psychological help when needed.
Authors: Lidia Schapira; Yue Zheng; Shari I Gelber; Philip Poorvu; Kathryn J Ruddy; Rulla M Tamimi; Jeffrey Peppercorn; Steven E Come; Virginia F Borges; Ann H Partridge; Shoshana M Rosenberg Journal: Cancer Date: 2021-10-06 Impact factor: 6.921
Authors: Nina Jackson Levin; Anao Zhang; David Reyes-Gastelum; Debbie W Chen; Ann S Hamilton; Bradley Zebrack; Megan R Haymart Journal: J Cancer Surviv Date: 2021-10-11 Impact factor: 4.062