Background: Cancer studies reported mixed results on benefit finding (BF) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) prevalence and few were focused on long-term survivors. Methods: BF and PTG were assessed in a multi-regional population-based study in Germany with 6952 breast, colorectal and prostate cancer survivors, using the Benefit Finding Scale and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. We calculated the age-adjusted prevalence, stratified by demographical and clinical characteristics. Results: Overall, 66.0% of cancer survivors indicated moderate-to-high BF, and 20.5% moderate-to-high PTG. Age-adjusted prevalence of BF and PTG differed according to cancer type (breast > colorectal > prostate) and sex (female > male). BF and PTG prevalence were higher in younger than in older respondents; the age-adjusted prevalence was higher in respondents who survived more years after diagnosis. The strength and direction of associations of age-adjusted prevalence with cancer stage, disease recurrence, and time since diagnosis varied according to cancer type and sex. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of long-term cancer survivors reported moderate-to-high BF and PTG. However, the prevalence was lower in older and male cancer survivors, and during the earlier years after cancer diagnosis. Further longitudinal studies on PTG and BF in cancer survivors are warranted to address heterogeneity in survivors’ experience after cancer diagnosis.

Background: Diabetes increases the risk of certain types of cancer. However, the literature regarding the incidence of diabetes after cancer diagnosis is inconsistent. We aimed to assess whether there was a higher incidence of diabetes among cancer patients by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of results from cohort studies. Methods: A systematic electronic literature search was carried out from cohort studies regarding the incidence of diabetes in cancer patients, using the databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to pool the estimates. Results: A total of 34 articles involving 360,971 cancer patients and 1,819,451 cancer-free controls were included in the meta-analysis. An increased pooled relative risk (RR) of 1.42 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30–1.54, I² = 95, τ² = 0.0551, p < 0.01) for diabetes in cancer patients was found compared with the cancer-free population. The highest relative risk was observed in the first year after cancer diagnosis (RR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.63–2.60). Conclusions: New-onset diabetes is positively associated with cancer, but this association varies according to cancer type. More prospective studies with large sample sizes and longer follow-up times are advocated to further examine the association and the underlying mechanisms.

We explored the relationship between benefit finding (BF)/posttraumatic growth (PTG) at baseline and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at baseline and follow-up in long-term cancer survivors (LTCS; ≥5-year post-diagnosis). HRQOL was assessed in LTCS in 2009-2011 (5- to 16-year post-diagnosis, baseline) and re-assessed in 2018/2019 (14- to 24-year post-diagnosis, follow-up). BF and PTG were measured at baseline; mean scores were dichotomized into 'none-to-low' ( =3). Linear regression models and linear mixed regression models were employed to assess the association of BF/PTG with HRQOL. Of the 6057 baseline participants, 4373 were alive in 2019, of whom 2704 completed the follow-up questionnaire. Cross-sectionally, LTCS with none-to-low BF reported better HRQOL at baseline and at follow-up than LTCS with higher BF. Longitudinally, no difference was found between none-to-low and moderate-to-high BF on the HRQOL change from baseline to follow-up. HRQOL differences between the PTG groups were not statistically significant cross-sectionally and longitudinally, except those participants with moderate-to-high PTG reported higher role functioning and global health status/QOL. Cross-sectionally, BF was significantly negatively related to subscales of HRQOL, while PTG was positively correlated to role functioning and global health status/QOL. The results add further evidence that BF and PTG are two different positive psychological concepts.

Background: The objective of this study was to ascertain long‐term cancer survivors' (LTCS') appraisal of medical care and how these perceptions may influence their health and well‐being, including benefit finding (BF) and posttraumatic growth (PTG).Methods: In total, 6952 LTCS from a multiregional population‐based study in Germany completed the Benefit Finding Scale, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Questionnaire on Stress in Cancer, and self‐designed questions on cognitive appraisal of medical care. The authors explored the mediating role of distress between medical care appraisal and BF and PTG and the possible moderation of time since diagnosis in this relationship.RESULTS: LTCS' medical care appraisals (“no unresolved/untreated symptoms,” “satisfaction with cancer care,” and “satisfaction with care for other diseases”) were positively associated with BF. PTG was positively associated with “no unresolved/untreated symptoms” and negatively associated with “satisfaction with care for other diseases.” Cancer distress partially mediated the associations between appraisals of medical care and BF, between “no unresolved/untreated symptoms” and PTG and between “satisfaction with care for other diseases” and PTG; whereas it totally mediated the association between “satisfaction with cancer care” and PTG. Time was a significant moderator in the model; the negative indirect effect of cognitive appraisal on BF and PTG through cancer distress weakened with longer time since diagnosis.Conclusions: Cancer survivors' medical care appraisal is associated with their perceptions of BF and PTG through distress. Therefore, distress screening could be part of the regular workup to identify distressed cancer survivors who are not satisfied with medical care; these survivors may benefit from interventions to reduce distress and increase BF and PTG.