Fear of Cancer Recurrence among the Women with Breast Cancer Attending a Tertiary Hospital of Bangladesh
Authors: 1. Farzana Binta Rahman, 2. Sumon M M, 3. Halima U, 4. Akhter F, 5. Sultana L, 6. Das A, 7. Reza S, 8. Hussain SMA
Institution: 1. Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2. Evercare Hospital Dhaka, 3. Square Hospitals LTD, 4. Light House international school
Introduction
Many women with breast cancer are afraid that the cancer will come back. This is called fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Very little is known about it in Bangladesh. To Assess the level of FCR and examine its associated factors among women with breast cancer. attending a tertiary hospital in Dhaka
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study done at the Department of Oncology, Square Hospitals Ltd., Dhaka, in November 2025. 101 women were interviewed with a questionnaire. It had questions on background and treatment cost and the nine-item Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory – Short Form (FCRI-SF). The score ranges from 0 to 36. A score of 13 or more was used as the threshold for elevated FCR (a screening threshold, not a diagnosis).
Results
The mean FCRI-SF score was 16.5 (SD 6.9). Elevated FCR was found in 72 women (71.3%). Most women were 50 years or older (78.2%) and housewives (75.2%). More than half (55.4%) had spent more than 5 lakh taka on treatment, and 37.6% paid by loan or by selling assets. No significant difference in score was found by age, occupation, income or total expense. The score differed by education (p < 0.001) and by source of income (p < 0.001). In a multiple regression adjusted for age, education, occupation, income and total expense, women who paid by loan or by selling assets (combined) scored 5.7 points higher than women who paid by themselves or with help from relatives (p = 0.003). The other women (5.0%) were helped by relatives. The study is limited by its single-centre design, small sample and the scoring check described in the Methods
Conclusion
Elevated fear of cancer recurrence was common among the women in this single-centre study. The findings show a need for further research on FCR and its relation to difficulty in paying for treatment and for evaluation of suitable psychosocial support in breast cancer follow-up.