New Clinical Pathway Supports Cancer Recurrence Anxiety
Source: Mirage News, December 2024
Researchers have developed a three-step plan to support those burdened by the intense fear of cancer returning. This plan offers a consistent, streamlined approach to managing recurrence anxiety, empowering patients to regain confidence and move forward with their lives.
The multidisciplinary team, led by researchers from the Daffodil Centre , a joint venture between the University of Sydney and Cancer Council NSW, developed the clinical pathway for health professionals to identify and support those experiencing fear of cancer recurrence, which is often a key factor in the wellbeing of people living with and beyond cancer.
Supporting people with fear of cancer recurrence is a critical yet frequently overlooked aspect of cancer care. An estimated 60 percent of people affected experience moderate to severe anxiety that cancer could return or worsen. “I felt hesitant to raise such issues when I should have been feeling lucky to have survived. It seemed to me that the fear of recurrence would have been considered frivolous," said cancer patient Jill Yates.