Fear of recurrence and causal attributions in long-term survivors of testicular cancer
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The purpose was to examine the prevalence of fear of recurrence (FoR) in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) and the association between FoR and causal attributions of cancer. METHODS: Testicular cancer survivors were sampled from a clinical register and were sent a questionnaire assessing FoR, depression using Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), physical symptoms (ototoxicity, neuropathy, and Raynaud-like phenomena), and causal attributions of testicular cancer. RESULTS: There were 316 TCSs who completed the questionnaires (response rate, 65%). The mean age was 47.6 years (standard deviation (SD) = 10.9), and the mean time since diagnosis was 12.0 years (SD = 3.0). Among the TCSs, 27.9% reported FoR. Univariate analyses revealed that FoR was associated with a BDI-II sum score of ≥19 (odds ratio (OR) = 7.07, p < 0.001) and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress (OR = 2.57, p = 0.002). A multivariate analysis revealed associations between FoR and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress (OR = 2.35, p = 0.010) and a BDI-II sum score ≥19 (OR = 5.82, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Fear of recurrence is prevalent in long-term TCSs. The observed relationship between FoR and a psychological causal attribution is probably complex and the direction of causality may be twofold: attributing the disease to a factor that is perceived as uncontrollable in nature could induce loss of control, and high levels of FoR may increase the need to gain control over the situation by pointing out factors that could be responsible for the disease such as psychological stress.
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Fear of cancer recurrence is highly prevalent among testicular cancer survivors, with more than a quarter reporting quite a bit or very much FCR an average of 11 years after diagnosis.
“Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is highly prevalent, with more than a quarter of TC survivors reporting quite a bit or very much FCR an average of 11 years after diagnosis (Pedersen et al., 2012;Skaali et al., 2009).”
From e-TC: Development and pilot testing of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression in survivors of testicular cancer (2017) · cites this paper as Pedersen et al., 2012
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- Authors
- Pedersen, A. F., Rossen, P., Olesen, F., von der Maase, H., & Vedsted, P.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University (DK)
- Aarhus University Hospital (DK)
- Department of Oncology Rigshospitalet Denmark
- Corresponding author
- Pedersen, Anette Fischer
- Venue
- Psycho-Oncology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-08-25
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1222-1228
- ISSN
- 1057-9249 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1611
- OpenAlex
- W1495109279
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psycho-Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Testicular diseases and treatments
- Keywords
- fear of recurrence, testicular cancer survivors, causal attribution, psychological stress, depression, loss of control, long-term cancer survivors, ototoxicity, neuropathy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Depression, Fear, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Recurrence, Local, Personality Inventory, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Recurrence, Regression Analysis, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Testicular Neoplasms, Causality, Prevalence, Survivors
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