Fear of Cancer Recurrence Experienced by Pediatric Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Date
2024-03-14
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Abstract
Introduction: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common and sometimes debilitating concern among survivors of cancer. While much is known about FCR experienced by adults, research exploring FCR experienced by children and adolescents has only begun to emerge. Importantly, given the dynamic development of cognitive and social factors throughout childhood, pediatric survivors may experience FCR differently than adults. Method: A scoping review was undertaken to evaluate the existing literature on pediatric FCR. Additionally, given the absence of available tools to measure pediatric FCR, the psychometric properties of an adult FCR measure, the Cancer Worry Scale, was evaluated in a pediatric sample. Results: The scoping review identified 19 studies that met inclusion criteria. FCR was explored as a primary aim in only six. The prevalence of FCR in identified samples ranged from 43% to 90%. FCR was positively associated with somatic symptoms and negatively associated with quality of life and emotional functioning. Evaluation of the Cancer Worry Scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties for use with youth but pointed towards the utility of developing a new FCR measure intended specifically for use with youth. Conclusion: FCR is a prevalent and important concern for this population. Additional research is needed to better characterize and understand pediatric FCR.
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Keywords
childhood cancer, pediatric oncology, fear of cancer recurrence, survivorship
Citation
Russell, K. B. (2024). Fear of cancer recurrence experienced by pediatric survivors of childhood cancer (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.