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Fear of Cancer Recurrence after Curative Pancreatectomy: A Cross-sectional Study in Survivors of Pancreatic and Periampullary Tumors
Annals of Surgical Oncology, 08/17/2012
Petzel MQB et al. – Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) represents a significant concern for one–third of patients after curative surgery for a pancreatic or periampullary tumor, regardless of their actual likelihood of recurrence or disease–related death.
Methods- Authors conducted a cross–sectional study of FCR in patients who were disease–free after potentially curative pancreatectomy for ductal or periampullary adenocarcinoma or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.
- They assessed seven discrete dimensions of FCR using the Fear of Recurrence Inventory and evaluated quality of life and psychosocial distress using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Hepatobiliary Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
- Of 354 eligible patients, 240 (68 %) participated in the study a median of 48 months after potentially curative pancreatectomy.
- An FCR severity score indicative of frequent fearful thoughts, emotional disturbance and functional impairment was identified in 37, 28, and 35 % of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, nonpancreatic periampullary adenocarcinoma, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, respectively.
- Anxiety (P < 0.001) and low quality of life (P = 0.028) were independently associated with a clinically significant level of FCR, but histopathologic diagnosis and clinicopathologic markers of prognosis were not.
