Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27169700›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2016

When fear of cancer recurrence becomes a clinical issue: a qualitative analysis of features associated with clinical fear of cancer recurrence.

Brittany Mutsaers, Georden Jones, Nicole Rutkowski, Christina Tomei, Caroline Séguin Leclair, Danielle Petricone-Westwood, Sébastien Simard, Sophie Lebel

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

54 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 108 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Patient-reported emotional responses and coping mechanisms in cancer recurrence: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  5. Effect of Psychological Intervention on Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2019
    Pooled it
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  7. Relationship Values and Committed Actions Among Couples Coping with Prostate Cancer: A Qualitative Study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Brittany MutsaersSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada. bmuts031@uottawa.ca.
Georden JonesSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Nicole RutkowskiSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Christina TomeiSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Caroline Séguin LeclairSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Danielle Petricone-WestwoodSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
Sébastien SimardInstitut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), 2725, Chemin Ste-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V 4G5, Canada.
Sophie LebelSchool of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier PVT, Room 4016, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
University of Ottawa · CAInstitut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common experience for cancer survivors. However, it remains unclear what characteristics differentiate non-clinical from clinical levels of FCR. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential hallmarks of clinical FCR.

methodsA convenience sample of 40 participants (n = 19 female) was drawn from another study (Lebel et al. in Qual Life Res 25:311-321. doi: 10.1007/s11136-015-1088-2 , 2016). The semi-structured interview for fear of cancer recurrence (Simard and Savard in J Cancer Surviv 9:481-491. doi: 10.1007/s11764-015-0424-4 , 2015) was used to identify participants with non-clinical and clinical FCR and qualitative analysis of these interviews was performed.

resultsIndividuals with clinical FCR reported the following features: death-related thoughts, feeling alone, belief that the cancer would return, experiencing intolerance of uncertainty, having cancer-related thoughts and imagery that were difficult to control, daily and recurrent, lasted 30 minutes or more, increased over time, caused distress and impacted their daily life. Triggers of FCR and coping strategies did not appear to be features of clinical FCR as they were reported by participants with a range of FCR scores.

conclusionsWhile features of clinical FCR found in this analysis such as intrusive thoughts, distress and impact on functioning confirmed previous FCR research, other features spontaneously emerged from the interviews including "death-related thoughts," "feeling alone," and "belief that the cancer will return." The participants' descriptions of cancer-specific fear and worry suggest that FCR is a distinct phenomenon related to cancer survivorship, despite similarities with psychological disorders (e.g., Anxiety Disorders). Future research investigating the construct of FCR, and the distinguishing features of clinical FCR across a range of cancer types and gender is required.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalAgedAged, 80 and overAnxietyFearFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalNeoplasmsSurvivorsClinical fear of cancer recurrenceFear of cancer recurrencePsychosocial oncologyQualitative analysisSemi-structured interview

Identifiers

PMID27169700
OpenAlexW2388194414

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.