Fear of Cancer Recurrence after Curative Pancreatectomy: A Cross-sectional Study in Survivors of Pancreatic and Periampullary Tumors

• Published in: Annals of surgical oncology 2012-12, Vol.19 (13), p.4078-4084
• Main Authors: Petzel, Maria Q. B., Parker, Nathan H., Valentine, Alan D., Simard, Sébastien, Nogueras-Gonzalez, Graciela M., Lee, Jeffrey E., Pisters, Peter W. T., Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas, Fleming, Jason B., Katz, Matthew H. G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ampulla of Vater; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms - mortality; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms - psychology; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms - surgery; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fear - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - psychology; Oncology; Pancreatectomy; Pancreatic Neoplasms - mortality; Pancreatic Neoplasms - psychology; Pancreatic Neoplasms - surgery; Pancreatic Tumors; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Survival Rate; Survivors - psychology
• ISSN: 1068-9265; 1534-4681
• DOI: 10.1245/s10434-012-2566-1

Background Fear of disease recurrence is well documented among cancer survivors, but its significance among patients treated for solid pancreatic and periampullary neoplasms is unknown despite the known risk of recurrence associated with these tumors. We hypothesized that fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) represents a common source of psychosocial distress in this population and sought to characterize subgroups for whom FCR might represent a target for intervention to improve quality of life. Methods We 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. We 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. Results 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