Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Fear of cancer recurrence in people attending the Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre clinic (SCSC) (146336)

Sim Yee (Cindy) Tan 1 2 3 , Fiona Lieu 1 4 , Rebecca Norwood 1 4 , Sue Butler 1 , Kim Kerin-Ayres 1 5 , Ash Malalasekera 1 , Haryana Dhillon 6 , Janette Vardy 1 2 3
  1. Concord Cancer Centre , Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
  2. Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
  3. Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship , Faculty of Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney , Sydney, Australia
  4. Psychology Department, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW , Australia
  5. Nursing Services, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
  6. Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), School of Psychology,, University of Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales , Australia

Background:

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is common among cancer survivors (1).  We evaluated FCR in the multidisciplinary Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre (SCSC) clinic.

Methods:

Cancer survivors after primary treatment for early-stage cancer attending SCSC initial clinic were assessed for FCR by a clinical psychologist.  Since October 2020, the 7-item FCR-7 questionnaire was added: total score 6-40, scores ≥17 moderate FCR, ≥27 clinically significant FCR. Partially completed FCR-7 was considered missing data.

Baseline characteristics were reported descriptively; chi-square and independent-sample t-tests compared variables.  Missing data were handled using pairwise deletion.

Results:

1081 survivors consented; mostly female (68%, n=738), 38% breast; 33% colorectal; 16% haematological; 12% other cancers. Overall, 64% (n=634/985) had psychologist-assessed FCR with 90% (n=569) having FCR severity graded; 55% rated as mild, 32% as moderate, 13% as severe. Proportion assessed by psychologist as having FCR was significantly higher in: survivors <65 years (73% vs 46.5%, p<0.001); females (70% vs 52%, p<0.001), anxiety history (72% vs 63%, p=0.032) but was not associated with disease stage (p=0.241).  Survivors with FCR reported higher mean distress scores (mean difference 1.1/10 (95% CI 0.75 – 1.49). 

A subset (n=350) completed FCR-7; 68% female; 34% breast; 32% colorectal; 15% haematological; 19% other cancers. Median FCR-7 total score was 16.0 (IQR 11-23); 32% (n=109/344) scored ≥17, 17% (n=60/344) scored ≥27.  Among this subset, 235/343 (68.5%) had psychologist-assessed FCR, 59.5% rated as mild (n=138/232), 29% moderate (n=67/232) and 12% severe (n=27).  Among survivors scoring ≥17 on FCR-7, 88% were assessed as having FCR by psychologist; with 48% having psychologist-assessed FCR but scoring <17 on FCR-7 (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

It is important to screen for FCR given the frequency of presentation in cancer survivors. The FCR-7 may be used to screen for FCR in clinical settings, but it may miss FCR among those with FCR7 total score <17.

  1. (1) Tan, S. Y., et al. (2019). "Health concerns of cancer survivors after primary anti-cancer treatment." Support Care Cancer 27(10): 3739-3747.