Cross-Sectional Study on Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Cancer Survivors Who Completed Treatment for Common Cancers
Keywords:
Fear of cancer recurrence, cancer survivors, psychosocial factors, oncology, cross-sectional studiesAbstract
Introduction: Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) is one of the most common and distressing psychological concerns experienced by cancer survivors. It significantly affects emotional well-being and quality of life, yet remains under-recognized, particularly in low-and middle-income countries due to a lack of culturally adapted screening tools.
Aim and Objectives: The aim was to assess the prevalence and predictors of FCR among cancer survivors. Objectives included estimating FCR prevalence and evaluating its association with demographic and clinical variables.
Methodology: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study conducted over two months at SVRR Government General Hospital, Tirupati. A total of 150 cancer survivors (head and neck, breast, gynecological, and brain cancers) who had completed treatment with curative intent were recruited based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The Fear of Cancer Recurrence 7 (FCR-7) questionnaire was translated into Telugu and administered. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze data using Jamovi software.
Results: Among 150 participants, 35.3% reported significant FCR. Higher FCR was significantly associated with female gender (p=0.049), breast and brain cancer sub-sites (p=0.004), recent treatment (<6 months, p=0.03), widowed/divorced or unmarried status (p=0.006), and multimodal therapy (p=0.017). Logistic regression confirmed significant predictors including female gender, breast cancer, recent treatment, lack of marital support, and aggressive treatment regimens.
Conclusion: FCR is a significant issue among cancer survivors, particularly those with vulnerable psychosocial and clinical profiles. The Telugu FCR-7 scale proved effective for screening. Early identification and culturally appropriate psychosocial support should be integral to survivorship care.
Downloads
References
Simard S, Thewes B, Humphris G, Dixon M, Hayden C, Mireskandari S, et al. Fear of cancer recurrence in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review of quantitative studies. J Cancer Surviv Res Pract. 2013 Sep;7(3):300-22.
Pizzo A, Leisenring WM, Stratton KL, Lamoureux É, Flynn JS, Alschuler K, et al. Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Oct;7(10):e2436144.
Heros RC. Fear of recurrence. J Neurosurg. 2013 Oct;119(4):943-5; discussion 945-947.
Lee YH, Hu CC, Humphris G, Huang IC, You KL, Jhang SY, et al. Screening for fear of cancer recurrence: Instrument validation and current status in early-stage lung cancer patients. J Formos Med Assoc. 2020 Jun;119(6):1101-8.
Custers JAE, Kwakkenbos L, Van De Wal M, Prins JB, Thewes B. Re-validation and screening capacity of the 6-item version of the Cancer Worry Scale. Psychooncology. 2018 Nov;27(11):2609-15.
Nandakumar D, Veeriah S, Krishnamurthy A, Veluswami S, Ananthi B. Fear of Cancer Recurrence 7 Scale Tamil Translation and Validation among Breast Cancer Survivors in India. Indian J Palliat. Care. 2022;28(3):321-7.
Nandakumar D, Veeriah S, Krishnamurthy A, Veluswami S, Ananthi B. Fear of Cancer Recurrence 7 Scale Tamil Translation and Validation among Breast Cancer Survivors in India. Indian J Palliat Care. 2022;28(3):321-7.
Thewes B, Zachariae R, Christensen S, Nielsen T, Butow P. The Concerns About Recurrence Questionnaire: validation of a brief measure of fear of cancer recurrence amongst Danish and Australian breast cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv Res Pract. 2015 Mar;9(1):68-79.
Humphris GM, Watson E, Sharpe M, Ozakinci G. Unidimensional scales for fears of cancer recurrence and their psychometric properties: the FCR4 and FCR7. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2018 Feb;16(1):30.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
