Re‐validation and screening capacity of the 6‐item version of the Cancer Worry Scale

Custers, José A. E.; Kwakkenbos, Linda; Wal, Marieke van de; Prins, Judith B.; Thewes, Belinda

doi:10.1002/pon.4782

Cited by 49 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…It has been successfully used in assessing fear of developing cancer or cancer recurrence in breast, ovarian and bowel cancer settings 19–21. The following score cut-offs, defined by Custers and colleagues, were adopted; <10 as negative, 10 to 11 as borderline and ≥12 as positive 22. This score was accompanied by an assessment of numerical and perceived risk of developing cancer using a 7-point Likert scale.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative quantitative survey of patient experience in Barrett’s oesophagus and other gastrointestinal disorders

Britton

Taxiarchi

Martin

et al. 2020

BMJ Open Gastroenterol

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ObjectiveTo assess health-related quality of life in patients with non-dysplastic Barrett’s oesophagus (NDBO) and endoscopically treated dysplastic Barrett’s oesophagus (DBO).DesignThis quantitative, self-administered questionnaire study was conducted across three National Health Service hospitals. Data were collected from three other cohorts; gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), colonic polyp surveillance and healthy individuals. Fisher’s exact and Spearman’s rank correlation tests were used for analysis. Propensity score matching adjusted for age, sex and comorbidities.Results687 participants were eligible for analysis (NDBO n=306, DBO n=49, GORD n=132, colonic polyps n=152 and healthy n=48). 53% of NDBO participants reported similarly high cancer worry, comparable to DBO (50%, p=0.933) and colonic polyp participants (51%, p=0.355). Less cancer worry was reported in GORD participants (43.4%, p=0.01 vs NDBO). NDBO participants reported anxiety in 15.8% and depression in 8.6% of cases, which was similar to the other disease cohorts. Moderate or severe heartburn or acid regurgitation was found in 11% and 10%, respectively, in the NDBO cohort, comparable to DBO participants (heartburn 2% p=0.172, acid regurgitation 4% p=0.31) but lower (better) than GORD participants (heartburn 31% p=<0.001, acid regurgitation 25% p=0.001). NDBO participants with moderate or severe GORD symptoms were associated with higher rates of anxiety (p=<0.001), depression (p=<0.001) and cancer worry (p=<0.001). NDBO patients appropriately perceiving their cancer risk as low had lower rates of cancer worry (p=<0.001).ConclusionThis study provides insight into the problems Barrett’s oesophagus patients may face. Future care pathways must be more patient focussed to address misconceptions of cancer risk, oesophageal cancer related worry and GORD symptom control.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative quantitative survey of patient experience in Barrett’s oesophagus and other gastrointestinal disorders

Britton

Taxiarchi

Martin

et al. 2020

BMJ Open Gastroenterol

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“…The eight‐item CWS was adapted in 2010 to assess worry about cancer recurrence in curatively treated CRC patients. Despite the eight‐item CWS version already being well utilized in research, previous studies have highlighted concerns about validity of the final two items 22 . The six‐item scale has been tested and validated for the Dutch context 22 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the eight‐item CWS version already being well utilized in research, previous studies have highlighted concerns about validity of the final two items 22 . The six‐item scale has been tested and validated for the Dutch context 22 . Therefore, the six‐item CWS was used in this study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychological distress and quality of life following positive fecal occult blood testing in colorectal cancer screening

et al. 2020

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Objective This study aimed to assess psychological functioning, quality of life, and regret about screening after a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and subsequent colonoscopy, and to evaluate changes over time. Methods This is a prospective cohort study. Individuals aged 55 to 75 with a positive FIT that were referred for colonoscopy between July 2017 and November 2018, were invited to complete questionnaires related to psychological distress and health‐related quality of life at three predefined time points: before colonoscopy, after histopathology result notification, and after 6 months. Four questionnaires were used: the Psychological Consequences Questionnaire (PCQ), the six‐item Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), the Decision Regret Scale (DRS), and the 36‐item Short‐Form (SF‐36). Results A total of 1066 participants out of 2151 eligible individuals were included. Patients with cancer showed a significant increase in psychological dysfunction (P = .01) and cancer worry (P = .008) after colonoscopy result notification, and a decline to pre‐colonoscopy measurements after 6 months. In the no‐cancer groups, psychological dysfunction and cancer worry significantly decreased over time (P < .05) but there was no ongoing decline. After 6 months, 17% of participants with no cancer experienced high level of cancer worry (CWS ≥ 10). Yet, only 5% reported high level of regret about screening participation (DRS > 25). A good global quality of life was reported in participants with no cancer. Conclusion Some psychological distress remains up to 6 months after colonoscopy in participants who tested false‐positive in the Dutch bowel cancer screening program.

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“…Fear of recurrence is also high: A systematic review reported a prevalence of 49% using various criteria and instruments . Using the brief 6‐item Cancer Worry Scale, Custers et al found that half suffered from this distress, while using the Patient Dignity Inventory, Bovero et al reported one fifth distressed.…”

Section: How Frequent Is Existential Distress In Patients With Cancer?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Existential distress in cancer: Alleviating suffering from fundamental loss and change

2018

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A severe life threatening illness can challenge fundamental expectations about security, interrelatedness with others, justness, controllability, certainty, and hope for a long and fruitful life. That distress and suffering but also growth and mastery may arise from confrontation with an existentially threatening stressor is a longstanding idea. But only recently have researchers studied existential distress more rigorously and begun to identify its distinct impact on health care outcomes.Operationalizations of existential distress have included fear of cancer recurrence, death anxiety, demoralization, hopelessness, dignity-related distress, and the desire for hastened death. These focus in varying emphasis on fear of death, concern about autonomy, suffering, or being a burden to others; a sense of profound loneliness, pointlessness or hopelessness; grief, regret, or embitterment about what has been missed in life; and shame if dignity is lost or expectations about coping are not met.We provide an overview of conceptual issues, diagnostic approaches, and treatments to alleviate existential distress. Although the two meta-analyses featured in this special issue indicate the progress that has been made, many questions remain unresolved. We suggest how the field may move forward through defining a threshold for clinically significant existential distress, investigating its comorbidity with other psychiatric conditions, and inquiring into adjustment processes and mechanisms underlying change in existential interventions. We hope that this special issue may inspire progress in this promising area of research to improve recognition and management of a central psychological state in cancer care. KEYWORDScancer, death anxiety, demoralization, existential distress, existential suffering, existential therapy, fear of cancer recurrence, hopelessness, sense of dignity

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Re‐validation and screening capacity of the 6‐item version of the Cancer Worry Scale

Abstract: The present results provide researchers and clinicians with a brief valid and reliable measure of FCR which is suitable for measuring FCR in cancer patients and survivors.

Cited by 49 publications

References 31 publications

Comparative quantitative survey of patient experience in Barrett’s oesophagus and other gastrointestinal disorders

Comparative quantitative survey of patient experience in Barrett’s oesophagus and other gastrointestinal disorders

Psychological distress and quality of life following positive fecal occult blood testing in colorectal cancer screening

Existential distress in cancer: Alleviating suffering from fundamental loss and change

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