Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 1/2020

01-01-2020 | Breast Cancer | Original Article

Work adjustments and employment among breast cancer survivors: a French prospective study

Authors: Flora Vayr, Marion Montastruc, Frédéric Savall, Fabien Despas, Elodie Judic, Maud Basso, Charlotte Dunet, Florence Dalenc, Guy Laurent, Jean Marc Soulat, Fabrice Herin

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 1/2020

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of our study was to assess the rate of work adjustments 1 year after the diagnosis in a population of female breast cancer (BC) survivors, in the context of the French system of social protection. We also characterised these adjustments and their influence on the reduction of professional exclusion of patients 1 year after the diagnosis.

Methods

This observational, prospective study was conducted from February 2015 to April 2016 among female patients with BC. Inclusion criteria were women aged between 18 and 65 years, treated for BC and integrated into the labour market at the time of diagnosis (working or on sick leave). Exclusion criteria were metastatic BC, retired patients and refusal to participate. A 1-year follow-up was scheduled, and data collection was performed with questionnaires.

Results

In total, 213 patients were included between February 2015 and April 2016. One year after the diagnosis (T1), among 185 BC survivors, 78 (42.2%) patients were working. Among them, 13 patients did not interrupt their occupational activity and 65 returned to work after a period of sick leave. Sixty-four patients returned to work after the end of chemotherapy (after 6 months), and one returned to work before this therapeutic threshold. Sixty-six patients (35.7%) benefited from at least one adjustment of their work conditions to facilitate their return to work (RTW) or maintenance at work: working hours were decreased for 43 patients, and workstation changes were performed for 22 patients. An occupational health physician was involved for some patients; work adjustments were prescribed to 42 patients, 7 patients had medical restrictions for physical reasons and 4 patients had restrictions for psychological reasons. Forty-three patients benefited from part-time work prescribed for therapeutic reasons.

Conclusions

Referral to occupational health physicians and work adjustments remain limited in the process of RTW or maintenance at work after BC in France, despite their positive impact.
Literature
1.
2.
Anderson BO, Yip C-H, Smith RA, Shyyan R, Sener SF, Eniu A, Carlson RW, Azavedo E, Harford J (2008) Guideline implementation for breast healthcare in low-income and middle-income countries: overview of the Breast Health Global Initiative Global Summit 2007. Cancer. 113(8 Suppl):2221–2243CrossRef
3.
de Boer AGEM, Taskila T, Ojajärvi A, van Dijk FJH, Verbeek JHAM (2009) Cancer survivors and unemployment: a meta-analysis and meta-regression. JAMA. 301(7):753–762CrossRef
4.
Kennedy F, Haslam C, Munir F, Pryce J (2007) Returning to work following cancer: a qualitative exploratory study into the experience of returning to work following cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 16(1):17–25CrossRef
5.
Olsson M, Nilsson M, Fugl-Meyer K, Petersson L-M, Wennman-Larsen A, Kjeldgård L, Alexanderson K (2017) Life satisfaction of women of working age shortly after breast cancer surgery. Qual Life Res 26(3):673–684CrossRef
6.
Mehnert A, Koch U (2013) Work satisfaction and quality of life in cancer survivors in the first year after oncological rehabilitation. Work 46(4):407–15
7.
Frazier LM, Miller VA, Miller BE, Horbelt DV, Delmore JE, Ahlers-Schmidt CR (2009) Cancer-related tasks involving employment: opportunities for clinical assistance. J Support Oncol 7(6):229–236PubMedPubMedCentral
8.
Hoving J, Broekhuizen M, Frings-Dresen M (2009) Return to work of breast cancer survivors: a systematic review of intervention studies. BMC Cancer 9:117CrossRef
9.
Caron M, Durand M-J, Tremblay D (2018) Perceptions of breast cancer survivors on the supporting practices of their supervisors in the return-to-work process: a qualitative descriptive study. J Occup Rehabil 28(1):89–96CrossRef
10.
Fantoni SQ, Peugniez C, Duhamel A, Skrzypczak J, Frimat P, Leroyer A (2010) Factors related to return to work by women with breast cancer in northern France. J Occup Rehabil 20(1):49–58CrossRef
11.
12.
Arfi A, Baffert S, Soilly A-L, Huchon C, Reyal F, Asselain B, Neffati S, Rouzier R, Héquet D (2018) Determinants of return at work of breast cancer patients: results from the OPTISOINS01 French prospective study. BMJ Open 8(5):e020276PubMedPubMedCentral
13.
14.
Islam T, Dahlui M, Majid HA, Nahar AM, Mohd Taib NA, Su TT, MyBCC study group (2014) Factors associated with return to work of breast cancer survivors: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 14(Suppl 3):S8CrossRef
15.
Blinder VS, Patil S, Thind A, Diamant A, Hudis CA, Basch E, Maly RC (2012) Return to work in low-income Latina and non-Latina white breast cancer survivors: a 3-year longitudinal study. Cancer. 118(6):1664–1674CrossRef
16.
Johnsson A, Fornander T, Rutqvist L-E, Vaez M, Alexanderson K, Olsson M (2009) Predictors of return to work ten months after primary breast cancer surgery. Acta Oncol Stockh Swed 48(1):93–98CrossRef
17.
Balak F, Roelen CAM, Koopmans PC, Ten Berge EE, Groothoff JW (2008) Return to work after early-stage breast cancer: a cohort study into the effects of treatment and cancer-related symptoms. J Occup Rehabil 18(3):267–272CrossRef
18.
Peugniez C, Fantoni S, Leroyer A, Skrzypczak J, Duprey M, Bonneterre J (2011) Return to work after treatment for breast cancer: single center experience in a cohort of 273 patients. Bull Cancer (Paris) 98(7):E69–E79CrossRef
19.
Blinder V, Patil S, Eberle C, Griggs J, Maly RC (2013) Early predictors of not returning to work in low-income breast cancer survivors: a 5-year longitudinal study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 140(2):407–416CrossRef
20.
Molina Villaverde R, Feliu Batlle J, Villalba Yllan A, Jiménez Gordo AM, Redondo Sánchez A, San Jose Valiente B et al (2008) Employment in a cohort of breast cancer patients. Occup Med Oxf Engl 58(7):509–511CrossRef
21.
Johnsson A, Fornander T, Rutqvist LE, Olsson M (2010) Factors influencing return to work: a narrative study of women treated for breast cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 19(3):317–323CrossRef
22.
Armaou M, Schumacher L, Grunfeld EA (2018) Cancer survivors’ social context in the return to work process: narrative accounts of social support and social comparison information. J Occup Rehabil 28(3):504–512CrossRef
23.
Azarkish F, Mirzaii Najmabadi K, Latifnejad Roudsari R, Homaei Shandiz F (2015) Factors related to return to work in women after breast cancer in Iran. Iran Red Crescent Med J 17(9):e19978CrossRef
24.
Wang L, Hong BY, Kennedy SA, Chang Y, Hong CJ, Craigie S, Kwon HY, Romerosa B, Couban RJ, Reid S, Khan JS, McGillion M, Blinder V, Busse JW (2018) Predictors of unemployment after breast cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol 36(18):1868–1879CrossRef
25.
Bijker R, Duijts SFA, Smith SN, de Wildt-Liesveld R, Anema JR, Regeer BJ (2018) Functional impairments and work-related outcomes in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review. J Occup Rehabil 28(3):429–451CrossRef
26.
Cheung K, Ching SYS, Chan A, Cheung D, Cheung SYP (2017) The impact of personal-, disease- and work-related factors on work ability of women with breast cancer living in the community: a cross-sectional survey study. Support Care Cancer Off J Multinatl Assoc Support Care Cancer 25(11):3495–3504
27.
Ekenga CC, Pérez M, Margenthaler JA, Jeffe DB (2018) Early-stage breast cancer and employment participation after 2 years of follow-up: a comparison with age-matched controls. Cancer. 124(9):2026–2035CrossRef
28.
Ganem G, Antoine E-C, Touboul C, Naman H, Dohollou N, Facchini T, Coscas Y, Lortholary A, Catala S, Jacquot S, Lhomel C, Eisinger F (2016) Maintaining professional activity during breast cancer treatment. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 25(3):458–465CrossRef
29.
Kolodziejczyk C, Heinesen E (2016) Labour market participation after breast cancer for employees from the private and public sectors: educational and sector gradients in the effect of cancer. Econ Hum Biol 21:33–55CrossRef
30.
Kamal KM, Covvey JR, Dashputre A, Ghosh S, Shah S, Bhosle M, Zacker C (2017) A systematic review of the effect of cancer treatment on work productivity of patients and caregivers. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 23(2):136–162PubMed
31.
Lee MK, Kang HS, Lee KS, Lee ES (2017) Three-year prospective cohort study of factors associated with return to work after breast cancer diagnosis. J Occup Rehabil 27(4):547–558CrossRef
32.
Luo S-X, Liu J-E, Cheng ASK, Xiao S-Q, Su Y-L, Feuerstein M (2019) Breast cancer survivors report similar concerns related to return to work in developed and developing nations. J Occup Rehabil 29(1):42–51CrossRef
33.
Kiasuwa Mbengi RL, Nicolaie AM, Goetghebeur E, Otter R, Mortelmans K, Missinnne S et al (2018) Assessing factors associated with long-term work disability after cancer in Belgium: a population-based cohort study using competing risks analysis with a 7-year follow-up. BMJ Open 8(2):e014094CrossRef
34.
Sun W, Chen K, Terhaar A, Wiegmann DA, Heidrich SM, Tevaarwerk AJ et al (2016) Work-related barriers, facilitators, and strategies of breast cancer survivors working during curative treatment. Work Read Mass 55(4):783–795
35.
Tiedtke C, Donceel P, Knops L, Désiron H, Dierckx de Casterlé B, de Rijk A (2012) Supporting return-to-work in the face of legislation: stakeholders’ experiences with return-to-work after breast cancer in Belgium. J Occup Rehabil 22(2):241–251CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Work adjustments and employment among breast cancer survivors: a French prospective study
Authors
Flora Vayr
Marion Montastruc
Frédéric Savall
Fabien Despas
Elodie Judic
Maud Basso
Charlotte Dunet
Florence Dalenc
Guy Laurent
Jean Marc Soulat
Fabrice Herin
Publication date
01-01-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 1/2020
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-04799-w

Other articles of this Issue 1/2020

Supportive Care in Cancer 1/2020 Go to the issue

Original Article

Radiotherapy impairs adhesive bonding in permanent teeth

Original Article

Responses to a cancer diagnosis: a qualitative patient-centred interview study

Original Article

Factors influencing patient’s perception of long-term treatment with low-molecular-weight heparins for cancer-associated thrombosis: an updated analysis of TROPIQUE, a prospective observational study

Original Article

Demographic, medical, social-cognitive, and environmental correlates of meeting independent and combined physical activity guidelines in kidney cancer survivors

Original Article

Patient-reported outcomes of the relative severity of side effects from cancer radiotherapy

Correction

Correction to: Effects of relaxation on self-esteem of patients with cancer: a randomized clinical trial
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits