Key result
Low perceived social support before colorectal cancer diagnosis in postmenopausal women was associated with significantly higher overall mortality compared to high support (HR 1.52; 95% CI 1.23-1.88).
Why the study?
The study evaluated associations between perceived social support, social integration, living alone, and colorectal cancer outcomes in postmenopausal women.
Does low perceived social support increase overall and CRC-specific mortality in postmenopausal women with colorectal cancer?
Cohort (n=1,431)
Does low perceived social support increase overall and CRC-specific mortality in postmenopausal women with colorectal cancer?
Effect estimate: HR 1.52 (95% CI 1.23-1.88)
p-value: p=< .001
Low perceived social support prior to colorectal cancer diagnosis is associated with higher overall and CRC-specific mortality in postmenopausal women.
Social support assessment may refine prognosis in postmenopausal colorectal cancer; leaves open whether interventions improve survival.
BACKGROUND: We evaluated associations between perceived social support, social integration, living alone, and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes in postmenopausal women. METHODS: The study included 1431 women from the Women's Health Initiative who were diagnosed from 1993 through 2017 with stage I through IV CRC and who responded to the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support survey before their CRC diagnosis. We used proportional hazards regression to evaluate associations of social support (tertiles) and types of support, assessed up to 6 years before diagnosis, with overall and CRC-specific mortality. We also assessed associations of social integration and living alone with outcomes also in a subset of 1141 women who had information available on social ties (marital/partner status, community and religious participation) and living situation. RESULTS: In multivariable analyses, women with low (hazard ratio [HR], 1.52; 95% CI, 1.23-1.88) and moderate (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.98-1.50) perceived social support had significantly higher overall mortality than those with high support (P [continuous] < .001). Similarly, women with low (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07-1.88) and moderate (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.96-1.70) perceived social support had higher CRC mortality than those with high social support (P [continuous] = .007). Emotional, informational, and tangible support and positive interaction were all significantly associated with outcomes, whereas affection was not. In main-effects analyses, the level of social integration was related to overall mortality (P for trend = .02), but not CRC mortality (P for trend = .25), and living alone was not associated with mortality outcomes. However, both the level of social integration and living alone were related to outcomes in patients with rectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Women with low perceived social support before diagnosis have higher overall and CRC-specific mortality.
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Kroenke et al. (2020) conducted a cohort in Colorectal cancer (n=1,431). Low perceived social support vs. High perceived social support was evaluated on Overall mortality (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.23-1.88, p=< .001). Low perceived social support before colorectal cancer diagnosis in postmenopausal women was associated with significantly higher overall mortality compared to high support (HR 1.52; 95% CI 1.23-1.88).