Fear of cancer recurrence and social support among Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors

Background: Fear of cancer recurrence is a long-term psychological problem of the cancer survivors regardless of the type of cancer. A growing number of studies had addressed fear of cancer recurrence, yet they are largely focused on the breast cancer survivors of the western world countries. This study investigates the fear of cancer recurrence and its relations to social support in Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors. Methods: Gynecological cancer survivors (n = 153) in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia completed Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, socio-demographic and clinically-related characteristics questionnaires. Pearson r correlation tests, t-tests, and ANOVAs were used to identify the relationships between variables, and linear regression to determine to what extent the social support may predict the survivors’ fear of recurrence. Results: Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors with higher social support were more likely to experience lower levels of fear of cancer recurrence. Whereas, having a family history of cancer was an important predictor of fear of cancer recurrence levels. Conclusion: Social support plays an essential role in predicting fear of cancer recurrence among Indonesian gynecological cancer survivors.