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A study of work changes due to cancer in tumor-free primary-treated cancer patients. A NOCWO study

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Abstract

Goals of work

The goal of this study is to explore the characteristics of tumor-free cancer survivors (CSs) who after their primary treatment were still working but made work changes due to cancer and compare them to survivors who did not.

Patients and methods

The sample consisted of 431 CSs (219 females with breast cancer, 212 males with testicular (N = 150) or prostate cancer (N = 62)) diagnosed 2–6 years prior to the study. All CSs had good prognosis and had returned to work after primary treatment. All CSs filled in a mailed questionnaire covering demography, morbidity, life style, mental distress, fatigue, quality of life and job strain.

Results

Seventy-two CSs (17%) had made work changes due to cancer during the observation period, and 359 (83%) had not. Among CSs who made work changes, significantly more were females; they showed significantly poorer physical and mental work ability, worked fewer hours per week, reported more comorbidity, and had lower physical and mental quality of life and more neuroticism, compared to the nonchange group. Work changes were moderately correlated with current work ability.

Conclusions

The majority of CSs did not report any work changes due to cancer during the 2–6-year observation period, which is an encouraging finding. A minority had done work changes, and this group consisted mainly of women and was also characterized by poorer physical and mental quality of life and poorer mental work ability due to cancer. The issue of work changes and work ability should be considered in the follow-up of cancer survivors.

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Acknowledgement

The Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation and the Nordic Cancer Union sponsored this study (Grant no H0-5010/002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo: Faculty of Medicine, Montebello, 0310, Oslo, Norway

    Sævar Berg Gudbergsson, Sophie D. Fosså & Alv A. Dahl

Authors
  1. Sævar Berg Gudbergsson
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  2. Sophie D. Fosså
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  3. Alv A. Dahl
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Correspondence to Sævar Berg Gudbergsson.

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Gudbergsson, S.B., Fosså, S.D. & Dahl, A.A. A study of work changes due to cancer in tumor-free primary-treated cancer patients. A NOCWO study. Support Care Cancer 16, 1163–1171 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0407-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0407-3

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