Fear of cancer recurrence and its influencing factors in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Objective To investigate the current situation of fear of cancer recurrence in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and analyze its influencing factors.Methods A total of 264 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who were admitted to Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine during May to December 2021 were selected. They were surveyed using the general data questionnaire, the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form(FOP-Q-SF), the Social Support Scale(SSRS), the Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS), the Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS), the PTSD Checklist(PCL), Chinese-Post Traumatic Growth Inventory(C-PTGI), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire(B-IPQ), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire(SCSQ), and the Doctor-PatientRelationship Questionnaire(PDRQ).Results The FCR score in NHL patients was(30.69±9.13), where 33.33% patients(n=88) had FCR≥34 scores. Female, living in rural areas, employment, course of disease, disease cognition, stress and anxiety were the influencing factors of FCR(P<0.01).Conclusions About 1/3 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma present pathological fear of cancer recurrence, which should be drawn much attention clinical staff. Special attention should be paid to women who live in rural areas, with employment and less than one year of disease course. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other interventions are suggested to change patient cognition, relieve stress and anxiety, so as to reduce the level of FCR in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.