How do follow-up care instructions and treatment summaries relate to cancer survivors' cancer-related pain?

Abstract

Cancer-related pain is a problem for many cancer survivors. Treatment summaries (TS) and follow-up care instructions (FCI) provided after cancer treatment could reduce pain for cancer survivors. This study sought to determine how TS and FCI received by cancer survivors relate to cancer survivors' cancer-related pain after treatment completion. Data were from 2010, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Cancer Survivorship module, completed by 10 U.S. states and entities. Pain was reported by 9% of survivors. TS (P = 0.02) and FCI (P < 0.001) were associated with pain. Compared with cancer survivors who had not received TS or FCI, those who received TS had greater odds of pain (odds ratio, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.28) and those who received FCI had more than twice the odds of pain (odds ratio, 2.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-3.67). FCI and TS were related to pain but in the opposite direction than predicted. Those who received TS and FCI were more likely to report pain than those who did not receive FCI and TS. This may be explained by the severity of cancer treatment. It is possible that those who undergo more severe cancer treatments are more likely to receive FCI and TS. Testing this relationship is a logical next step.