Susan Krigel on Fear of Recurrence Among Cancer Survivors

Susan Krigel, PhD, psychologist at Midwest Cancer Alliance, the outreach arm of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, discusses fear of recurrence among cancer survivors.

Ninety-seven percent of cancer survivors experience fear of recurrence, which can persist for several years. Fear of recurrence typically remains steady at low to moderate levels until a spike is caused by a trigger, such as an upcoming appointment, an anniversary, hearing of another person’s diagnosis, or experiencing a new symptom.

Krigel also says that high levels of fear of recurrence can impair people in different domains of their life, including socially, cognitively, emotionally, and physically.