How common is fear of cancer recurrence in survivors and patients?
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**APRIL 06, 2022** - A recent analysis of published studies found that more than half (59.0%) of cancer survivors and patients experience at least a moderate level of fear of cancer recurrence and that about one in 5 (19.0%) have a high level of fear.

The analysis, which is published by Wiley in Psycho-Oncology, included 46 studies from 13 countries. Investigators found similar fear of cancer recurrence rates in survivors and patients. On average, younger people and women experienced more fear of cancer recurrence.

Additional research is needed to not only identify which patients desire support to address their fear of cancer recurrence but also to determine how to tailor interventions to different levels of fear and to individual needs and preferences.

“Knowing the prevalence and severity of fear of cancer recurrence for the general cancer population and for different subgroups is an important development, because it is essential for shaping healthcare provision, policy, and research on fear of cancer recurrence,” said lead author Yvonne Luigjes-Huizer, a PhD candidate at the Helen Dowling Institute and the University Medical Centre Utrecht, in the Netherlands.

*Full Citation: “What is the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence in cancer survivors and patients? A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.” Yvonne L. Luigjes-Huizer, Nina M. Tauber, Gerry Humphris, Nadine A. Kasparian, Wendy W. T. Lam, Sophie Lebel, Sébastien Simard, Allan Ben Smith, Robert Zachariae, Yati Afiyanti, Katy J. L. Bell, José A. E. Custers, Niek J. de Wit, Peter L. Fisher, Jacqueline Galica, Sheila N. Garland, Charles W. Helsper, Mette M. Jeppesen, Jianlin Liu, Roxana Mititelu, Evelyn M. Monninkhof, Lahiru Russell, Josée Savard, Anne E. M. Speckens, Sanne J. van Helmondt, Sina Vatandoust, Nicholas Zdenkowski, Marije L. van der Lee. Psycho-Oncology; Published Online: April 07, 2022 (DOI: [10.1002/pon.5921](https://10.1002/pon.5921)).*

*URL Upon Publication: [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.5921](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.5921)*

*Copyright © 2021 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., reproduced with permission.*

*   Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal

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