Prevalence of pain symptoms among U.S. adult cancer survivors.

Authors

null

Xinwen Hu

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Xinwen Hu , Chao Cao , Yunan Han , Shu Jiang , Lin Yang , Graham A. Colditz

Organizations

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada

Research Funding

No funding received

Background: Pain symptoms are common in cancer survivors. The life expectancy of US cancer survivors continues to raise. To date, the comprehensive pattern of pain symptoms in US cancer survivors by cancer history remains unknown. Methods: Data on pain symptoms and correlates were derived from a nationally representative sample of cancer survivors (n = 55,716, weighted population = 17,352,886) in the 1997-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Individuals who answered “yes” to the questions “During the past three months, did you have headache/facial/neck/low back pain/low back pain radiating to the leg” were considered as having pain symptoms at respective anatomical regions. The US national prevalence of pain overall and by anatomical regions were estimated. Correlates of pain symptoms were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of overall pain symptoms was persistently high (48.5%, 95% CI: 48.0-49.0) in cancer survivors from 1997-2018 (P for trend =.58), driven by low back (37.6%, 95% CI: 37.1-38.0) and neck pain (20.9%, 95% CI: 20.5-21.3), and was leading in survivors of bone (63.1%, 95% CI: 57.9-68.4), soft tissue (58.1%, 95% CI: 50.6-65.6), and brain (58.2%, 95% CI: 52.3-64.0) cancers. Considerable pain symptoms were reported by survivors of commonly diagnosed cancers: lung (48.5%), breast (46.7%), colon (52.2%) and prostate (38.4%) cancers. The prevalence of pain is higher in females (52.9%) than males (42.6%) across all anatomical regions (OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.38-1.63]), particularly headache (19.8% vs. 8.6%) and facial pain (8.6% vs. 3.9%). Of note, females with reproductive system cancers, cervical (66.3%), uterine (60.0%) and ovarian (59.4%) cancers, have a higher prevalence in all types of pain than those with other cancers. Cancer survivors aged ≥65 years were less likely to report pain symptoms than younger survivors (OR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.64-0.79]). Despite no racial disparity in the prevalence of overall pain, Non-Hispanic Blacks (18.6%, 95% CI: 17.2-20.0) and Hispanics (21.2%, 95% CI: 19.5-22.9) were more likely to report headache than Non-Hispanic Whites (14.4%, 95% CI: 14.0-14.8). A higher prevalence of pain symptoms was consistently observed in cancer survivors with low income, smoking history, low physical activity levels, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (all P<.05). Age at cancer diagnosis (P for trend <.001), but not the time since, affected pain symptoms. Cancer survivors diagnosed at age 0-14 (53.0%, 95% CI: 49.1-56.9) and 15-39 years (58.6%, 95% CI: 57.5-59.7) had a significantly higher prevalence of pain across all anatomical regions than those at ≥40 years (45.5%, 95% CI: 44.9-46.1). Conclusions: Half of US cancer survivors experienced pain symptoms, driven by low back and neck pain. Higher prevalence of pain was noted in cancer survivors with younger age, female sex, low income and suboptimal lifestyle behaviors, calling for adequate pain management in cancer survivorship.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Symptoms and Survivorship

Track

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Sub Track

Health Promotion/Behaviors

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr 12062)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.12062

Abstract #

12062

Poster Bd #

308

Abstract Disclosures

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