chronic pain, health-related quality of life, and employment in working-age cancer survivors

This study estimated the prevalence of cancer-related pain in working-age cancer survivors (age 25–64 years) and evaluated differences in demographic and clinical variables in those with and without pain. we also investigated the impact of cancer-related pain on health-related quality of life (hrqol) and employment outcomes in this population. we used cross-sectional data from the 2016 behavioral risk factor surveillance system (brfss). analyses were conducted with a sample of 1702 cancer survivors who completed treatment. all analyses were conducted using procedures to account for the complex sampling design of the brfss. nearly 17% (95% ci [13.94–19.58]) of working-age cancer survivors reported experiencing cancer-related pain. among those who experienced pain, the majority were female, white, non-hispanic, married/partnered, and non-employed, with breast as the most common cancer disease site. those with cancer-related pain experienced more physically unhealthy days (adjusted rate ratio [arr] 1.63, 95% ci [1.16–2.28]), mentally unhealthy days (arr 1.52, 95% ci [1.02–2.26]), and activity interference (arr 2.15, 95% ci [1.53–3.02]). cancer-related pain decreased the odds of being employed, but only in female survivors (adjusted odds ratio 0.34, 95% ci [0.22–0.54]). cancer-related chronic pain is a prevalent, long-term condition that is negatively associated with hrqol and employment in working-age cancer survivors. clinical interventions targeting chronic pain improve hrqol in working-age cancer survivors and employment outcomes, particularly in women.