1670P - Fear of cancer recurrence and its predictors in lymphoma patients and their family caregivers: A cross-sectional study

Background

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a pervasive concern among lymphoma survivors and their family caregivers, influencing psychological and physical health outcomes. Given the substantial burden of FCR, identifying its predictors is crucial for targeted interventions that could enhance palliative care. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of FCR in lymphoma survivors and their caregivers, as well as its predictive factors.

Methods

A total of 118 lymphoma patients, along with their family caregivers, were recruited from Hacettepe University Cancer Institute between March 2024 and May 2024. Psychological assessments were conducted using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lymphoma (FACT-Lym). Predictors were assessed using univariate and multivariable regression analyses.

Results

50.8% (n=60) of the lymphoma survivors and 57.6% (n=68) of their caregivers experienced high levels of FCR. There was a positive correlation between the FCR of the patients and caregivers. Poor overall quality of life (aOR:4.279, 95% CI:1.738-10.531, p= 0.002), recent diagnosis (<3 year) (aOR:5.135, 95% CI:1.852-14.238, p=0.002), patients’ anxiety (aOR:2.540, 95% CI:1.014-6.363, p=0.002) and caregivers’ FCR (aOR:2.970, 95% CI:1.119-7.879, p=0.029) were associated with high levels of FCR in patients with lymphoma.

Conclusions

We observed high FCR levels in over half the survivors with lymphoma and a higher FCR risk in patients with anxiety, poor QoL and caregiver FCR. In practical application, these findings hold significant implications for developing comprehensive care plans and interventions targeting FCR in lymphoma patients. By focusing on both patients and their caregivers and providing appropriate support and resources, healthcare professionals can improve patients’ quality of life and mitigate FCR.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.