Anxiety and cancer-related worry of cancer patients at routine follow-up visits.
Anxiety and cancer-related worry were assessed in 197 consecutive cancer patients attending follow-up visits. Participants completed questionnaires on three occasions: at the visit, some days later, and three weeks later. Results show that while a majority of patients feel no or only mild anxiety in conjunction to the follow-up visit, about one-fifth report moderate or strong anxiety. Many patients (46%) worry about suffering a recurrence and about overlooking symptoms of new cancer (33%). Patients who were not in complete remission reported higher levels of cancer-related worry concerning the follow-up visit than did patients in remission. Among patients in remission, those who recently terminated treatment reported more overall distress than patients two or more years since treatment termination.
Lampic
C
C
Department of Oncology and Clinical Psychology, University Hospital, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Wennberg
A
A
Schill
J E
JE
Brodin
O
O
Glimelius
B
B
Sjödén
P O
PO
D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*