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A systematic review of ovarian cancer and fear of recurrence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2015

Melissa Ozga ,
Carol Aghajanian ,
Shannon Myers-Virtue ,
Glynnis McDonnell ,
Sabrina Jhanwar ,
Shira Hichenberg  and
Isabel Sulimanoff
Melissa Ozga*
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Carol Aghajanian
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Shannon Myers-Virtue
Affiliation:
Temple University and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Glynnis McDonnell
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York St. John's University, Queens, New York
Sabrina Jhanwar
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Shira Hichenberg
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Isabel Sulimanoff
Affiliation:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Melissa Ozga, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 641 Lexington Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10022. E-Mail: ozgam@mskcc.org
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess demographic, medical, and psychological factors that are associated with fear of recurrence (FCR) in ovarian cancer patients.

Method:

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. For PubMed, a search using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was run, as well as a text-word search from 1990 to July of 2014. The search terms used consisted of ovarian terms, fear terms, and recurrence/progression themes. Title and abstract reviews were conducted by two independent reviewers to determine eligibility, and discrepancies were decided by a third reviewer. Full-text reviews of potentially eligible articles were conducted by the review team, which met regularly to ensure the reliability of eligibility ratings across all articles.

Results:

A total of 15 articles met our inclusion criteria. Nine were quantitative studies that utilized a cross-sectional design, and the other six included three qualitative studies, two small intervention studies, and one study that utilized content analysis to explore written correspondence among ovarian cancer patients. FCR was reported as a significant concern for both older and younger women at both early and advanced stages. Women were distressed about recurrence at various times during their treatment and posttreatment. FCR was noted to be prevalent around cancer follow-up examinations. Many women reported not receiving adequate support for recurrence. FCR was also shown to be linked in some way to hopelessness, faith/spirituality, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). FCR was also linked to patients' anxiety about death and dying and uncertainty about the future of their medical health.

Significance of Results:

This review demonstrates that FCR is prevalent in the ovarian cancer population. Moreover, cancer recurrence fears are not adequately assessed or treated. More information is needed on the factors that may be related to women's fears about recurrence of ovarian cancer. In addition, a validated measure of FCR among ovarian cancer patients as well as a treatment intervention are needed.

Keywords

Ovarian cancerFear of recurrenceFCRRecurrence/progression
Type
Review Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 13 , Issue 6 , December 2015 , pp. 1771 - 1780
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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