Skip to main content

Predictors of post-cancer diagnosis resignation among Japanese cancer survivors

Journal of Cancer Survivorship volume 14, pages 106–113 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

In Japan, due to the increased incidence of cancer among the working population, it has become more important to support employees to achieve a balance between cancer treatment and work. This study aimed to clarify the predictors of resigning from employment after being diagnosed with cancer (post-cancer diagnosis [PCD] resignation) among Japanese employees.

Methods

As part of a Japanese national research project (Endo-Han), the investigators conducted a web-based survey of cancer survivors (CSs) in 2017. The investigators analyzed the risk factors for PCD resignation using a logistic regression model, including age at diagnosis, sex, cancer type, cancer stage, year of diagnosis, whether the patient held a managerial role, type of employment, and company size.

Results

Of 750 employed Japanese CSs, 93 (12.4%) resigned from their jobs. The non-managers resigned more often (14.6%) than the managers (7.6%) (p = 0.007). The temporary workers exhibited the highest PCD resignation rates (22.2%), while the PCD resignation rates of the self-employed workers and permanent workers were 15.2% and 7.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). As the result of multivariate analysis, being female (odds ratio [OR], 3.67; 95%CI, 1.71–7.87), having hematological cancer (OR, 4.23; 95%CI, 1.37–13.04), having advanced cancer (OR, 2.48; 95%CI, 1.52–4.03), and being a temporary worker (OR, 2.51; 95%CI, 1.40–4.50) were identified as predictors of PCD resignation.

Conclusions

In total, 12.4% of Japanese employees quit their jobs after being diagnosed with cancer. Being female or a temporary worker and having advanced cancer were identified as predictors of PCD resignation. Regarding cancer type, hematological cancer was most strongly associated with PCD resignation.

Implication of Cancer Survivors

CSs who are females and temporary workers and have advanced cancer should be followed-up more carefully after cancer diagnosis for their work sustainability, by medical professionals, companies, and society.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. Verdecchia A, Francisci S, Brenner H, Gatta G, Micheli A, Mangone L, et al. Recent cancer survival in Europe: a 2000-02 period analysis of EUROCARE-4 data. Lancet Oncol. 2007;8(9):784–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ito Y, Miyashiro I, Ito H, Hosono S, Chihara D, Nakata-Yamada K, et al. Long-term survival and conditional survival of cancer patients in Japan using population-based cancer registry data. Cancer Sci. 2014;105(11):1480–6.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Aziz NM. Cancer survivorship research: state of knowledge, challenges and opportunities. Acta Oncol. 2007;46(4):417–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Pryce J, Munir F, Haslam C. Cancer survivorship and work: symptoms, supervisor response, co-worker disclosure and work adjustment. J Occup Rehabil. 2007;17(1):83–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ministry of Health L, Welfare, Japan. Report of Japanese goverment comittee for work support among Japanese cancer survivors “Gankanja keikensya no syurousien no arikata ni kansuru kentoukai houkokusyo” (in Japanese). 2014.

  6. National Cancer Center J. Cancer registry and statistics. Cancer information service. 2014.

  7. Mehnert A. Employment and work-related issues in cancer survivors. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2011;77(2):109–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Endo M, Haruyama Y, Takahashi M, Nishiura C, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N. Returning to work after sick leave due to cancer: a 365-day cohort study of Japanese cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv. 2015.

  9. Ministry of Health Labor W, Japan. Jigyojou ni okeru tiryo to syokugyouseikatu ni okeru ryouritusien ni okeru gaidorain (Guideline for support for therapy and work life in Japanese workforce). 2016.

  10. Amir Z, Moran T, Walsh L, Iddenden R, Luker K. Return to paid work after cancer: a British experience. J Cancer Surviv. 2007;1(2):129–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. van Muijen P, Weevers NL, Snels IA, Duijts SF, Bruinvels DJ, Schellart AJ, et al. Predictors of return to work and employment in cancer survivors: a systematic review. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2013;22(2):144–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Taskila T, Martikainen R, Hietanen P, Lindbohm ML. Comparative study of work ability between cancer survivors and their referents. Eur J Cancer. 2007;43(5):914–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Clarke TC, Christ SL, Soler-Vila H, Lee DJ, Arheart KL, Prado G, et al. Working with cancer: health and employment among cancer survivors. Ann Epidemiol. 2015;25(11):832–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tamminga SJ, de Boer AG, Verbeek JH, Frings-Dresen MH. Return-to-work interventions integrated into cancer care: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med. 2010;67(9):639–48.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Feuerstein M, Todd BL, Moskowitz MC, Bruns GL, Stoler MR, Nassif T, et al. Work in cancer survivors: a model for practice and research. J Cancer Surviv. 2010;4(4):415–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. de Boer AG, Taskila T, Ojajarvi A, van Dijk FJ, Verbeek JH. Cancer survivors and unemployment: a meta-analysis and meta-regression. JAMA. 2009;301(7):753–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Bradley CJ, Bednarek HL, Neumark D. Breast cancer survival, work, and earnings. J Health Econ. 2002;21(5):757–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Yabroff KR, Lawrence WF, Clauser S, Davis WW, Brown ML. Burden of illness in cancer survivors: findings from a population-based national sample. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004;96(17):1322–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Taskila-Abrandt T, Pukkala E, Martikainen R, Karjalainen A, Hietanen P. Employment status of Finnish cancer patients in 1997. Psychooncology. 2005;14(3):221–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ministry of Health L, Welfare, Japan. Labor Contract Act. Ministry of Health, Labor, Welfare, Japan; 2007.

  21. Nilsson M, Olsson M, Wennman-Larsen A, Petersson LM, Alexanderson K. Return to work after breast cancer: women’s experiences of encounters with different stakeholders. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2011;15(3):267–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Satariano WA, DeLorenze GN. The likelihood of returning to work after breast cancer. Public Health Rep. 1996;111(3):236–41.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Sampere M, Gimeno D, Serra C, Plana M, Martinez JM, Delclos GL, et al. Organizational return to work support and sick leave duration: a cohort of Spanish workers with a long-term non-work-related sick leave episode. J Occup Environ Med. 2011;53(6):674–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Short PF, Vasey JJ, Tunceli K. Employment pathways in a large cohort of adult cancer survivors. Cancer. 2005;103(6):1292–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Roelen CA, Koopmans PC, Groothoff JW, van der Klink JJ, Bultmann U. Sickness absence and full return to work after cancer: 2-year follow-up of register data for different cancer sites. Psychooncology. 2011;20(9):1001–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Park JH, Park EC, Park JH, Kim SG, Lee SY. Job loss and re-employment of cancer patients in Korean employees: a nationwide retrospective cohort study. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26(8):1302–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. van Egmond MP, Anema JR, Singh A, van der Beek AJ, Duijts SF. Factors associated with (non-)participation of cancer survivors with job loss in a supportive return to work program. Support Care Cancer. 2016;24(7):3175–84.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Fiva JH, Haegeland T, Ronning M. Health status after cancer: does it matter which hospital you belong to? BMC Health Serv Res. 2010;10:204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tracy JK, Falk D, Thompson RJ, Scheindlin L, Adetunji F, Swanberg JE. Managing the cancer-work interface: the effect of cancer survivorship on unemployment. Cancer Manag Res. 2018;10:6479–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Inhestern L, Beierlein V, Bultmann JC, Moller B, Romer G, Koch U, et al. Anxiety and depression in working-age cancer survivors: a register-based study. BMC Cancer. 2017;17(1):347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. de Boer AG, Verbeek JH, Spelten ER, Uitterhoeve AL, Ansink AC, de Reijke TM, et al. Work ability and return-to-work in cancer patients. Br J Cancer. 2008;98(8):1342–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Lee S, McHale SM, Crouter AC, Hammer LB, Almeida DM. Finding time over time: longitudinal links between employed mothers’ work-family conflict and time profiles. J Fam Psychol. 2017;31(5):604–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications J. Survey on time use and leisure activities “Syakaiseikatsukihontyosa” (in Japanese). 2016.

  34. Spelten ER, Verbeek JH, Uitterhoeve AL, Ansink AC, van der Lelie J, de Reijke TM, et al. Cancer, fatigue and the return of patients to work-a prospective cohort study. Eur J Cancer. 2003;39(11):1562–7.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Horsboel TA, Nielsen CV, Andersen NT, Nielsen B, de Thurah A. Risk of disability pension for patients diagnosed with haematological malignancies: a register-based cohort study. Acta Oncol. 2014;53(6):724–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Joachim Weis MH. Cancer-related fatigue. 2015.

  37. Hematology JSo. The clinical guideline of haematological malignancies (in Japanese). 2018.

  38. Ahn E, Cho J, Shin DW, Park BW, Ahn SH, Noh DY, et al. Impact of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment on work-related life and factors affecting them. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009;116(3):609–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Mehnert A, Koch U. Predictors of employment among cancer survivors after medical rehabilitation--a prospective study. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2013;39(1):76–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Rottenberg Y, Ratzon NZ, Cohen M, Hubert A, Uziely B, de Boer AG. Unemployment risk at 2 and 4 years following colorectal cancer diagnosis: a population based study. Eur J Cancer. 2016;69:70–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Bennett S, Pigott A, Beller EM, Haines T, Meredith P, Delaney C. Educational interventions for the management of cancer-related fatigue in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;11:CD008144.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Paltrinieri S, Vicentini M, Mazzini E, Ricchi E, Fugazzaro S, Mancuso P, et al. Factors influencing return to work of cancer survivors: a population-based study in Italy. Support Care Cancer. 2019.

  43. Statistic Bureau MoIAaC, Japan. Statistical handbook of Japan. 2018.

  44. Brady S, O’Connell T. Review of Irish Civil Service sickness absence referrals 2008-10. Occup Med (Lond). 2013;63(5):365–8.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study was funded by grants from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Research Grant: Gan-taisaku-ippan-012) to Motoki Endo. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Motoki Endo & Yuya Imai

  2. Department of Hygiene, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Go Muto

  3. Department of Hygiene, Public Health, and Preventive Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kiyomi Mitsui

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Women’s Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Katsuji Nishimura

  5. Department of Chemotherapy and Palliative Care, Tokyo Women’s Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazuhiko Hayashi

Authors
  1. Motoki Endo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Go Muto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuya Imai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kiyomi Mitsui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Katsuji Nishimura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kazuhiko Hayashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Motoki Endo.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Endo, M., Muto, G., Imai, Y. et al. Predictors of post-cancer diagnosis resignation among Japanese cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv 14, 106–113 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-00827-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-00827-0

Keywords

  • Cancer survivors (CSs)
  • Japanese employees
  • Post-cancer diagnosis (PCD) resignation
  • Cancer site
  • Employment