Disability pension among gynaecological cancer survivors with or without radiation-induced survivorship syndromes

Adnan Noor Baloch, Mats Hagberg, Sara Thomée, Gunnar Steineck, Helena Sandén, Adnan Noor Baloch, Mats Hagberg, Sara Thomée, Gunnar Steineck, Helena Sandén

Abstract

Purpose: Gynaecological cancer patients treated with external radiation therapy to the pelvis may face long-lasting and long-term gastrointestinal syndromes. The aim of this study was to assess the association between such radiation-induced survivorship syndromes and disability pension among gynaecological cancer survivors treated with pelvic radiation therapy.

Methods: This prospective register study included gynaecological cancer survivors (n=247) treated during 1991-2003, alive at the time of the study, and <65 years of age. In 2006, they completed a postal questionnaire measuring patient-reported outcomes. The self-reported data were linked to the national register on disability pensions. Relative risks and risk differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of being granted a disability pension were estimated using log-binomial regression.

Results: Gynaecological cancer survivors with gastrointestinal syndromes had a higher risk of disability pension than survivors without such syndromes. Survivors with blood discharge syndrome had a 2.0 (95% CI 1.3-3.2) times higher risk of disability pension than survivors without blood discharge syndrome. The relative risk among survivors with urgency syndrome was 1.9 (1.3-2.9) and for leakage syndrome, 2.1 (1.4-3.1). Adjusting for age did not affect our interpretation of the results.

Conclusions: Gynaecological cancer survivors with a specific radiation-induced survivorship syndrome have a higher risk of disability pension than survivors without that specific syndrome.

Implications for cancer survivors: The findings highlight the need for more awareness and knowledge regarding the potential role of radiation-induced survivorship syndromes for continuing work among gynaecological cancer survivors. Work-life-related parameters should be considered during radiotherapy and rehabilitation after treatment.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03961217.

Keywords: Cancer survivor; Disability pension; Faecal incontinence; Radiation-induced syndromes; Radiotherapy/adverse effects; Return to work.

Conflict of interest statement

All authors have read and understood the journal’s policy on declaring conflicts of interests and have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (which will be provided at the time of manuscript acceptance) and declare no support from any organization for the submitted work other than that described above. The authors declare no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

© 2021. The Author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Number (percentage) and relative risk (RR) (95% confidence interval) of disability pension (data taken from the official register) at the 2-year follow-up. Relative risks (CIs) obtained from log-binomial regression analyses using syndromes as a predictor. Self-reported symptoms were used to classify survivors having a syndrome. A relative risk of > 1 indicates harm (No. = number)

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Source: PubMed

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