ANXIETY IN LONG-TERM CANCER SURVIVORS INFLUENCES THE ACCEPTABILITY OFPLANNED DISCHARGE FROM FOLLOW-UP

Anxiety levels in a sample of 65 long-term cancer survivors were asses sed in a study of the effects of a planned discharge from an oncology clinic, Thirty ene percent of patients scored a greater than or equal to 8, and 12% greater than or equal to 11 on the anxiety subscale of t he Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)I indicating that anxie ty rates in patients in long-standing remission do not greatly differ from patients with native disease, Despite the provision of continued support and guaranteed fast-access return to the clinic if necessary, 28% ef patients refused to he discharged, Fear that recurrence would n et be detected wits the reason mast frequently cited, Seventy-five per cent of these patients were HADS anxiety casts, a second assessment 4- 5 months later of the 41 patients who were discharged showed a slight, but non-significant increase in anxiety rates suggesting that anxiety in cancer survivors may be persistent rind not related to clinic atte ndance, (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.