Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Ozakinci, Gözde; Sobota, Aleksandra; Humphris, Gerry

doi:10.1007/s12609-014-0153-0

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…As observed by Thewes et al and Yang et al in their systematic review, many studies have focused on cancer survivors' experience of living with cancer as a chronic disease and pointed to FCR as the most prevalent unmet concern reported by survivors. The definition of FCR established through consensus at a 2015 meeting with FCR experts is “Fear, worry or concern relating to the possibility that cancer will come back or progress.” This fear has been shown to be common across all cancer types and to persist throughout the survival trajectory, remaining elevated 6 years post diagnosis . According to recent systematic reviews with mostly breast cancer survivors, 39% to 97% report some degree of FCR, 22% to 87% report moderate‐to‐high degree, and up to 15% report high degree.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revision of the fear of cancer recurrence cognitive and emotional model by Lee‐Jones et al with women with breast cancer

et al. 2019

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Background Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is among the top unmet concerns reported by breast cancer survivors. Despite the sizable literature on FCR, few theoretical models have been empirically tested. One of the most cited is the FCR model. Aim This study seeks to understand the nature of women's cognitive and emotional issues from FCR using specific guidance from the model by Lee‐Jones and to provide suggestions for modifications to the model based on empirical results from the reported experiences of women living with breast cancer. Methods and results A qualitative descriptive study using semi‐structured interviews was conducted at an urban hospital. Recruited by convenience sampling, 12 breast cancer survivors concerned with FCR and who had recently completed active treatment participated in the study. Seven thematic categories emerged from the women's descriptions of their cognitive and emotional experiences with FCR: (a) FCR is always there; (b) beliefs about risk of recurrence; (c) beliefs about eradication of cancer; (d) preferences not to seek information about recurrence; (e) derailment of normal life; (f) worries related to recurrence; and (g) need for support. Adjustments to the model by Lee‐Jones et al1 specifically to women living with breast cancer include the addition of new variables—the fear is always present, a preference not to seek information, and the need for support beyond treatment—and the merging of two variables, anxiety and worry, as participants viewed these concepts as interchangeable and experienced in similar ways. Lastly, participants did not report any remorse related to not opting for more aggressive treatments. Conclusion The refinement of a more comprehensive FCR theoretical model, such as through the modifications derived from this study, provides a deeper understanding of breast cancer survivors' experiences with FCR and can more effectively guide health care professionals to develop appropriately tailored interventions aimed at decreasing FCR levels.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revision of the fear of cancer recurrence cognitive and emotional model by Lee‐Jones et al with women with breast cancer

et al. 2019

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“…Con respecto a la relación con la edad y el estadio de la enfermedad, esto apoya lo reportado en la literatura (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)20,21,30) , en la que se ha reseñado que indistintamente de la edad, los niveles de distres y MRC podría manifestarse, sin embargo, se sabe que en mujeres de edades jóvenes, que son madres, reportan mayores niveles de distrés y de MRC, debido a que el cáncer suele ser más agresivo en esas edades (8,(19)(20)(21)(22)30) . El distrés psicológico puede manifestarse independientemente del estadio de la enfermedad en que se encuentren las pacientes.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Una de las preocupaciones más frecuentes en los sobrevivientes de cáncer es sobre la posibilidad de que su enfermedad se vuelva a desarrollar a futuro (14,15) . Así, el miedo a la recurrencia del cáncer (MRC) ha sido un aspecto muy común en los pacientes con cáncer de mama (16)(17)(18) .…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

“…Se ha definido frecuentemente como el miedo a que el cáncer pueda volver o progresar en el mismo lugar o en otra parte del cuerpo, o bien, al grado de preocupación que reportan los pacientes acerca de cambios que podrían indicar que el cáncer va progresar a futuro (15,17,19) . Este miedo es una respuesta reactiva adecuada y esperada, de la que los pacientes son conscientes y puede ser adaptativa y funcional en un primer momento, pero en niveles disfuncionales pueden afectar el bienestar y la calidad de vida (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) . La prevalencia del MRC puede variar de acuerdo al sitio del cáncer.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

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Distrés psicológico, miedo a la recurrencia del cáncer y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en sobrevivientes de cáncer de mama venezolanas

Burgos

2020

PSIC

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Objetivo: El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar las relaciones entre el distrés psicológico, el miedo a la recurrencia del Cáncer (MRC) y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CDVRS) en pacientes sobrevivientes de cáncer de mama venezolanas. Método: El estudio fue de corte correlacional y participaron 203 pacientes sobrevivientes de Cáncer de mama, de edades entre 24 y 75 años. Se emplearon las escalas de Ansiedad y Depresión Hospitalaria (HADS), de preocupaciones relacionadas con el Cáncer y de salud global SF – 12 versión 2. Resultados: Se reportaron niveles bajos de distrés psicológico, aunque con predominio de niveles medios de ansiedad y de MRC. La prevalencia de ansiedad elevada fue de 23%, de depresión elevada de 7%, de distrés psicológico de 18% y de MRC de 36%. El distres psicológico y MRC correlacionaron de forma positiva y significativa, aunque con fuerza de baja a moderada. La CDVRS estuvo en un rango normal y correlacionó de forma inversa y significativa con el distrés psicológico así como también con el MRC. Conclusión: El distrés psicológico se encuentra asociado, aunque no en gran magnitud, con el MRC y que ambos se asocian con un deterioro de la CDVRS en las pacientes sobrevivientes de Cáncer de mama venezolanas. Además, el MRC y la CDVRS correlacionaron de forma positiva, baja y significativa con el tiempo de supervivencia de las pacientes.

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“…In turn, this would require that multiple low-dose therapeutic interventions be performed to achieve maximum efficacy in the treatment, which is when the tumor cells develop resistance to the treatment. However, the most gripping concern is the fear of relapse/recurrence of the disease in patients (most of them leading ultimately to death) that adversely impact the mental health, quality of life, and adherence to post-treatment surveillance among cancer survivors who had otherwise positively responded to the various therapeutic interventions and had shown significant recovery from the disease [ 22 , 23 ].…”

Section: Cancer Chemotherapy and Chemoresistancementioning

confidence: 99%

Counteracting Chemoresistance with Metformin in Breast Cancers: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

Samuel

Varghese

Koklesová

et al. 2020

Cancers

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Despite the leaps and bounds in achieving success in the management and treatment of breast cancers through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, breast cancer remains the most frequently occurring cancer in women and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Systemic therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy, although beneficial in treating and curing breast cancer subjects with localized breast tumors, tend to fail in metastatic cases of the disease due to (a) an acquired resistance to the chemotherapeutic drug and (b) the development of intrinsic resistance to therapy. The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays a crucial role in both acquired and intrinsic chemoresistance. CSCs are less abundant than terminally differentiated cancer cells and confer chemoresistance through a unique altered metabolism and capability to evade the immune response system. Furthermore, CSCs possess active DNA repair systems, transporters that support multidrug resistance (MDR), advanced detoxification processes, and the ability to self-renew and differentiate into tumor progenitor cells, thereby supporting cancer invasion, metastasis, and recurrence/relapse. Hence, current research is focusing on targeting CSCs to overcome resistance and improve the efficacy of the treatment and management of breast cancer. Studies revealed that metformin (1, 1-dimethylbiguanide), a widely used anti-hyperglycemic agent, sensitizes tumor response to various chemotherapeutic drugs. Metformin selectively targets CSCs and improves the hypoxic microenvironment, suppresses the tumor metastasis and inflammation, as well as regulates the metabolic programming, induces apoptosis, and reverses epithelial–mesenchymal transition and MDR. Here, we discuss cancer (breast cancer) and chemoresistance, the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in breast cancers, and metformin as a chemo-sensitizing/re-sensitizing agent, with a particular focus on breast CSCs as a critical contributing factor to acquired and intrinsic chemoresistance. The review outlines the prospects and directions for a better understanding and re-purposing of metformin as an anti-cancer/chemo-sensitizing drug in the treatment of breast cancer. It intends to provide a rationale for the use of metformin as a combinatory therapy in a clinical setting.

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Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Cited by 15 publications

References 34 publications

Revision of the fear of cancer recurrence cognitive and emotional model by Lee‐Jones et al with women with breast cancer

Revision of the fear of cancer recurrence cognitive and emotional model by Lee‐Jones et al with women with breast cancer

Distrés psicológico, miedo a la recurrencia del cáncer y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en sobrevivientes de cáncer de mama venezolanas

Counteracting Chemoresistance with Metformin in Breast Cancers: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

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