Meta-Analysis

. 2022 Jun;31(6):879-892.

doi: 10.1002/pon.5921. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

Yvonne L Luigjes-Huizer^{1

2}, Nina M Tauber³, Gerry Humphris⁴, Nadine A Kasparian⁵, Wendy W T Lam⁶, Sophie Lebel⁷, Sébastien Simard⁸, Allan Ben Smith⁹, Robert Zachariae³, Yati Afiyanti¹⁰, Katy J L Bell¹¹, José A E Custers¹², Niek J de Wit², Peter L Fisher¹³, Jacqueline Galica¹⁴, Sheila N Garland¹⁵, Charles W Helsper², Mette M Jeppesen¹⁶, Jianlin Liu¹⁷, Roxana Mititelu¹⁸, Evelyn M Monninkhof², Lahiru Russell^{19

20}, Josée Savard²¹, Anne E M Speckens²², Sanne J van Helmondt^{1

23}, Sina Vatandoust²⁴, Nicholas Zdenkowski²⁵, Marije L van der Lee^{1

23}

Affiliations

¹ Helen Dowling Institute, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
² Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
³ Unit for Psychooncology and Health Psychology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁴ School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
⁵ Cincinnati Children's Center for Heart Disease and Mental Health, Heart Institute and the Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
⁶ Division of Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, and LKS Faculty of Medicine Jockey Club Institute of Cancer Care, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁷ Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
⁸ Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Centre Intersectoriel en santé durable, Québec, Québec, Canada.
⁹ Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research and South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Maternity and Women Health, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia.
¹¹ Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
¹³ Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
¹⁴ Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
¹⁷ Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁸ Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
¹⁹ Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research & Institute for Health Transformation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
²⁰ Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research - Eastern Health Partnership, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
²¹ School of Psychology, Université Laval, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec, Québec, Canada.
²² Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
²³ Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
²⁴ College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
²⁵ School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

PMID: 35388525
PMCID: PMC9321869
DOI: 10.1002/pon.5921

Meta-Analysis

What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

Yvonne L Luigjes-Huizer et al. Psychooncology. 2022 Jun.

. 2022 Jun;31(6):879-892.

doi: 10.1002/pon.5921. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Helen Dowling Institute, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
² Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
³ Unit for Psychooncology and Health Psychology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁴ School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
⁵ Cincinnati Children's Center for Heart Disease and Mental Health, Heart Institute and the Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
⁶ Division of Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, and LKS Faculty of Medicine Jockey Club Institute of Cancer Care, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁷ Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
⁸ Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Centre Intersectoriel en santé durable, Québec, Québec, Canada.
⁹ Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research and South West Sydney Clinical Campuses, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Maternity and Women Health, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia.
¹¹ Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
¹³ Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
¹⁴ Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
¹⁷ Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁸ Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
¹⁹ Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research & Institute for Health Transformation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
²⁰ Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research - Eastern Health Partnership, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.
²¹ School of Psychology, Université Laval, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Université Laval Cancer Research Centre, Quebec, Québec, Canada.
²² Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
²³ Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
²⁴ College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
²⁵ School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

PMID: 35388525
PMCID: PMC9321869
DOI: 10.1002/pon.5921

Abstract

Objective: Care for fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is considered the most common unmet need among cancer survivors. Yet the prevalence of FCR and predisposing factors remain inconclusive. To support targeted care, we provide a comprehensive overview of the prevalence and severity of FCR among cancer survivors and patients, as measured using the short form of the validated Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI-SF). We also report on associations between FCR and clinical and demographic characteristics.

Methods: This is a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis on the prevalence of FCR. In the review, we included all studies that used the FCRI-SF with adult (≥18 years) cancer survivors and patients. Date of search: 7 February 2020. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool.

Results: IPD were requested from 87 unique studies and provided for 46 studies comprising 11,226 participants from 13 countries. 9311 respondents were included for the main analyses. On the FCRI-SF (range 0-36), 58.8% of respondents scored ≥13, 45.1% scored ≥16 and 19.2% scored ≥22. FCR decreased with age and women reported more FCR than men. FCR was found across cancer types and continents and for all time periods since cancer diagnosis.

Conclusions: FCR affects a considerable number of cancer survivors and patients. It is therefore important that healthcare providers discuss this issue with their patients and provide treatment when needed. Further research is needed to investigate how best to prevent and treat FCR and to identify other factors associated with FCR. The protocol was prospectively registered (PROSPERO CRD42020142185).

Keywords: cancer; correlates; fear of recurrence; oncology; prevalence.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Flowchart of studies identified, screened, and included with individual participant data (IPD) or aggregate data

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Fitzmaurice C, Dicker D, Pain A, et al. The global burden of cancer 2013. JAMA Oncol. 2015;1(4):505‐527. - PMC - PubMed
1. Canceratlas.cancer.org . Cancer Survivorship [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 21]. Available from: https://canceratlas.cancer.org/the‐burden/cancer‐survivorship/
1. Simard S, Thewes B, Humphris G, et al. Fear of cancer recurrence in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review of quantitative studies. J Cancer Surviv. 2013;7:300‐322. - PubMed
1. Ness S, Kokal J, Fee‐Schroeder K, Novotny P, Satele D, Barton D. Concerns across the survivorship trajectory: results from a survey of cancer survivors. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2013;40(1):35‐42. - PubMed
1. Harrison SE, Watson EK, Ward AM, et al. Primary health and supportive care needs of long‐term cancer survivors: a questionnaire survey. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(15):2091‐2098. - PubMed

Publication types

Actions
Actions
Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Supplementary concepts

Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Medical
- MedlinePlus Health Information

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

Affiliations

What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Supplementary concepts

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical