Return to Work Among Cancer Survivors With Treatment-induced Survivorship Syndromes

Completed

• Conditions: Prostate Cancer; Radiotherapy Side Effect; Radiation Injuries; Radiation Syndrome; Malignancy; Cancer Survivors; Gynecologic Cancer; Radiation Toxicity
• Interventions: Radiation: Radiotherapy

• Registration Number: NCT03961217
• Lead Sponsor: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden

Brief Summary

The investigators plan to investigate the consequences of late effects (radiation-induced survivorship syndromes) after radiotherapy in Gynecological and Prostate cancer survivors on return to work (Yes/No) and if RTW happened then time to RTW.

In addition, whether general health, type of work (occupation), work environment factors, individual factors (lifestyle, socioeconomic status etc.), contribute to the adverse late effects of radiotherapy and these Gynecological cancer survivors have a higher risk for disability pension/long term sickness absence (NOT Return to work).

Detailed Description

Occurrence of cancer diagnoses are rising, and both disease and treatments are aggressive. Due to advancement in medical technology, improved therapy and/or early detection the overall survival rates are also improving.

Some of the most common cancer types, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer have high cure rates when detected early and treated according to best practices. Many of these cancer survivors are of working age and are likely to return to work. Women who survive cervical cancer and men who survive testicular cancer typically have three to four decades left in working life.

However, return to work (RTW) among cancer survivors may not be similar to RTW among long-term sickness absentees due to other diagnoses. Cancer is a life threatening disease and cancer diagnose is a life changing event. The emotional shock after the cancer diagnosis may be associated with low psychological well-being even two years after prostate cancer surgery.

The successful cancer treatment concludes with the lifelong consequences of surgery, irradiation, cytotoxic chemotherapy, biological anticancer substances or other drugs in the treatment. The ionizing radiation that eliminates malignant cells may trigger long-lasting pathophysiological processes in the normal tissue and affect the health of the survivors with lifelong treatment-induced survivorship diseases. In a recent study, Steineck et al, identified five radiation-induced survivorship syndromes affecting bowel health in a cohort of gynecological cancer; urgency syndrome (30%), leakage syndrome (26%), excessive gas discharge(15%), excessive mucus discharge (16%) and blood discharge (10%).

There is a lack of knowledge about how these side effects of cancer treatment affect the degree of work ability and return to work. Clinical experience suggests that many cancer survivors have reduced work ability. There is a need for scientific studies that shed light on the side effects of cancer treatment and their relation to work ability.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 1991-01
• Primary Completion: 2006-10
• Study Completion: 2016-12
• Status Verified: 2019-05
• Study First Submitted: 2019-05-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-05-22
• Study First Posted: 2019-05-23
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-05-23
• Last Update Posted: 2019-05-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 2135

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 25 to 60 years (working age)
2. Employed at time of diagnosis
3. Treated for cancer
4. Suffering from at least one of Radiation-induced survivorship syndromes
5. First cancer & first time treatment for cancer,

Exclusion Criteria

1. No other chronic disease
2. Chronic intestinal illness/surgery
3. Stage IV cancer
4. Recurrent cancer/Relapse

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Gynecological Cases	Radiotherapy	Gynecological Cancer survivors with treatment induced survivorship syndroms treated pelvic radiotherapy at 1. Radiumhemmat, Karolinska University Hospital and 2. Jubileumskliniken at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden.
Gynecological Rehab Cases	Radiotherapy	Gynecological Cancer survivors with treatment induced survivorship syndroms treated pelvic radiotherapy
Prostate Cases	Radiotherapy	Prostate Cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Return to work (RTW)	Five - Ten years after mapping Radiation-induced survivorship syndromes	Information on Sickness absence for more than 14 days was obtained from the official registries in Sweden.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Time to Return to work	Five - Ten years after mapping Radiation-induced survivorship syndromes	Sickness absence (more than 14 days) until the survivor returned to work. Also obtained from the official registries in Sweden.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Jubileumskliniken, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, Sweden