Factors related to second cancer screening practice in disease-free cervical cancer survivors

Background — Although cancer survivors are at increased risk for developing cancers at other sites, little is known about the current status of second cancer (cancers other than the index cancer) screening practices and related factors in cervical cancer survivors.

Methods — We enrolled 809 cervical cancer survivors aged ≥40 years who had been treated at six hospitals from 1983 to 2004. Subjects filled out a questionnaire that included the practices of second cancer screening (breast, stomach, and colorectum) and other sociodemographic variables.

Results — Among subjects, 38.9% had been recommended to receive screening for other cancers from healthcare providers, and 27.4% reported that they thought they had lower risk of other cancer than general population. Older (age ≥65 years) and poor (family income <1,000$/month) subjects were less likely to have second cancer screening. Those to whom healthcare providers had recommended screening for other cancers (aOR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.54–2.98), and those who had an appropriate perception of second cancer risk (aOR = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.11–2.43) were more likely to undergo breast cancer screening.

Conclusion — Lack of a recommendation for second cancer screening from healthcare providers and the misperception of second cancer risk might have negative impacts on the breast cancer screening behaviors in cervical cancer survivors.