RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relationship between fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress in cancer survivors. Additionally, potential effect modifiers of this link were investigated. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PsychInfo, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until June 2022. Studies reporting the association between FCR and mental health indices in adolescent and young adult survivors (15-39 years) and adult survivors (>18 years) were included. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for cross-sectional studies. RESULTS: A total of 72 primary studies with 31,740 participants were identified, with the majority having a low risk of bias. The results revealed a significant association between FCR and depression, anxiety, and emotional distress. This association was observed whether FCR was examined in relation to each factor individually or collectively. The effect sizes fell within the medium range. Notably, the relationship between FCR and mental health strengthened over the years of publication. Additionally, lengthier FCR assessment instruments yielded larger effect sizes compared to shorter and single-item instruments, underscoring the significance of instrument selection. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis provides further evidence that FCR is linked to a range of common mental health problems. The medium effect sizes observed indicate the need to consider FCR when evaluating the mental health of cancer survivors, and vice versa. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the FCR-mental health link.
RESUMO
Cancer therapy for both central nervous system (CNS) and non-CNS tumors has been previously associated with transient and long-term cognitive deterioration, commonly referred to as 'chemo fog'. This therapy-related damage to otherwise normal-appearing brain tissue is reported using post-mortem neuropathological analysis. Although the literature on monitoring therapy effects on structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well established, such macroscopic structural changes appear relatively late and irreversible. Early quantitative MRI biomarkers of therapy-induced damage would potentially permit taking these treatment side effects into account, paving the way towards a more personalized treatment planning.This systematic review (PROSPERO number 224196) provides an overview of quantitative tomographic imaging methods, potentially identifying the adverse side effects of cancer therapy in normal-appearing brain tissue. Seventy studies were obtained from the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases. Studies reporting changes in normal-appearing brain tissue using MRI, PET, or SPECT quantitative biomarkers, related to radio-, chemo-, immuno-, or hormone therapy for any kind of solid, cystic, or liquid tumor were included. The main findings of the reviewed studies were summarized, providing also the risk of bias of each study assessed using a modified QUADAS-2 tool. For each imaging method, this review provides the methodological background, and the benefits and shortcomings of each method from the imaging perspective. Finally, a set of recommendations is proposed to support future research.