Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34424498›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2022

Investigating how cancer-related symptoms influence work outcomes among cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Chia Jie Tan, Samantha Yin Ching Yip, Raymond Javan Chan, Lita Chew, Alexandre Chan

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
43citing papers in PubMed
3.1field-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

43 citing papers in PubMed, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The effect of ginseng extract on fatigue in cancer survivors: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Symptom burden in cancer survivorship: insights from a survivorship program's patient-reported outcomes database.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  5. Observational
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. The impact of social determinants of health on mental and behavioral health trajectories of breast cancer survivors: A longitudinal cohort study.European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society · 2026
    Article
  12. Observational
  13. Article
  14. Factors associated with employment outcomes in cancer survivors: a systematic scoping review spanning a decade of international research.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
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

5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Chia Jie TanDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Samantha Yin Ching YipDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Raymond Javan ChanCaring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Lita ChewDepartment of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Alexandre ChanDepartment of Pharmacy, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. a.chan@uci.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-4391-4219
National University of Singapore · SGFlinders University · AUUniversity of California, Irvine · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate how different cancer-related symptoms influence work outcomes among cancer survivors.

methodsA literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus to identify studies published between 1st January 1999 and 30th October 2020 that investigated the impact of specific cancer-related symptoms on work outcomes among cancer survivors who have completed primary antineoplastic treatment. Study findings were extracted and grouped by symptoms and work outcomes, allowing comparison of associations between these outcomes.

resultsSeventy-three articles representing 68 studies were eligible for inclusion. From these studies, 27 cancer-related symptoms, 9 work outcomes, and 68 unique associations between specific symptoms and work outcomes were identified. Work status (return to work and employment rates) was most commonly studied, and symptom burden was mainly measured from the patient's perspective. Higher symptom burden was generally associated with trends of poorer work outcomes. Significant associations were reported in most studies evaluating body image issues and work status, oral dysfunction and work status, fatigue and work ability, and depression and work ability.

conclusionSeveral cancer-related symptoms were consistently associated with inferior work outcomes among cancer survivors. Body image issues and oral dysfunction were shown to be associated with poorer employment rates, while fatigue and depression were linked to lower levels of work performance. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Failure to return to work and decreased productivity post-cancer treatment can have negative consequences for cancer survivors and society at large. Findings from this review will guide the development of work rehabilitation programs for cancer survivors. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO identifier CRD42020187754.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsNeoplasmsEmploymentFatigueHumansAbsenteeismEmployment ratePresenteeismReturn to workSymptom burdenWork productivity

Identifiers

PMID34424498
PMCPMC9489549
OpenAlexW3194261736

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.