YOUNG FEMALE SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA DO NOT HAVE INCREASED SOMATIC CONCERNS

This study examined whether experience of cancer in childhood leaves a hypersensitivity to various somatic symptoms. Further, are self-repor ted somatic symptoms explained by medical late-effects or a worry of r ecurrence of the cancer? Methods: Of the total of 44 female survivors of leukaemia, 42 were compared with 69 age-matched healthy controls. W e used a questionnaire to study self reported somatic symptoms and a f ace-to-face interview to explore worries about recurrence of the illne ss. Health status and medical late effects were evaluated by a paediat ric haematologist. Results: In contrast to our assumptions, young surv ivors of leukaemia reported fewer somatic symptoms than healthy age-ma tched comparison subjects (p < 0.001). Late physical sequelae were unc ommon except in the survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplantatio n. Of the survivors, 52% were afraid of recurrence of the illness. The presence of physical or visible impairment and worry of recurrence we re unrelated to frequency of somatic symptoms. Conclusions: The result s suggest that experience of childhood leukaemia and its treatment doe s not result in increased somatic concerns or hypochondriacal tendenci es.