NCRI 2016 | Fear of cancer recurrence – who is affected and how to address it?

Gozde Ozakinci, PhD of the University of St Andrews, UK gives an overview of her talk on fear of cancer recurrence held at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference in Liverpool, UK. Dr Ozakinci points out that fear of cancer recurrence is one of the top 5 concerns of patients after the end of treatment and an unmet need. Younger patients are more at risk as well as those patients who experience a lot of symptoms, such as pain and fatigue. She explains that these fears may have an effect on the behavior of patients; for example, they may lead to a change in diet or physical activity. She then discusses interventions, including her work on AFTER, a six session intervention, and the importance of looking at the interaction between healthcare providers and patients.