title: Frequency, characteristics, and correlates of pain in a pilot study of colorectal cancer survivors 1-10 years post-treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term effects of disease and treatment in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors are poorly understood. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of pain in a sample of CRC survivors up to 10 years post-treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred cancer-free CRC survivors were randomly chosen from an institutional database and completed a telephone survey using the Brief Pain Inventory, Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire-Short Form, Quality of Life Cancer Survivor Summary, Brief Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Fear of Recurrence Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were primarily Caucasian (90%) married (69%) males (53.5%) with a mean age of 64.7 years. Chronic pain was reported in 23% of CRC survivors, with a mean moderate intensity rating (mean = 6.05, standard deviation = 2.66) on a 0-10 rating scale. Over one-third (39%) of those with pain attributed it to their cancer or treatment. Chi-square and t-test analyses showed that survivors with pain were more likely to be female, have lower income, be more depressed and more anxious, and show a higher endorsement of suicidal ideation than CRC survivors without chronic pain. On average, pain moderately interfered with daily activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic pain is likely a burdensome problem for a small but not inconsequential minority of CRC survivors requiring a biopsychosocial treatment approach to improve recognition and treatment. Open dialogue between clinicians and survivors about physical and emotional symptoms in long-term follow-up is highly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lowery
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.forename: Lara K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Dhingra
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rogak
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hamrick-Price
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farberov
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kirsh
authors.forename: Leonard B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Saltz
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Breitbart
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Passik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Colorectal Cancer; Pain; Pain Interference; Quality of Life; Survivor