The following is a summary of “Lived Experiences and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Among Survivors of Localized Cutaneous Melanoma,” published in the February 2024 issue of Dermatology by Mahama, et al.
The surge in cutaneous melanoma incidence in the US has largely involved localized disease, typically treated surgically with high survival rates. However, the psychological well-being of survivors in the US remains poorly understood. For a study, researchers sought to explore the lived experiences and fear of cancer recurrence among survivors of localized cutaneous melanoma.
Conducted from August 2021 to September 2022, this qualitative and survey-based study utilized semistructured interviews and the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory short form (FCRI-SF) survey tool. Participants were recruited from an academic dermatology practice affiliated with the University of Texas, Austin. Semistructured interviews were analyzed for themes and subthemes related to the experiences of survivors of cutaneous melanoma. FCRI-SF scores were tabulated, with scores of 13 or greater indicating potential cases of clinically significant fear of cancer recurrence.
About 51 participants (mean [SD] age, 49.5 [11.7] years; 34 [67%] female and 17 [33%] male) with a history of localized melanoma completed the interview and survey. Among them, 17 (33%) had survived a diagnosis of stage 0 melanoma, while the remainder had at least 1 invasive melanoma diagnosis (stage I-IIA). Themes identified from the interviews included emotions surrounding follow-up appointments, intensity of melanoma surveillance, lifestyle changes regarding sun exposure, and thoughts about life and death. Thirty-eight of 51 participants had an FCRI-SF score above the threshold for clinical fear of cancer recurrence.
The study revealed that despite an excellent prognosis, some survivors of localized melanoma, including those with stage 0, experience high rates of fear of cancer recurrence and intense survivorship experiences impacting their psychological well-being.
Reference: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2815037