Objective: This study examined whether experience of cancer in childhood leaves a hypersensitivity to various somatic symptoms. Further, are self-reported somatic symptoms explained by medical late-effects or a worry of recurrence of the cancer?
Methods: Of the total of 44 female survivors of leukaemia, 42 were compared with 69 age-matched healthy controls. We used a questionnaire to study self reported somatic symptoms and a face-to-face interview to explore worries about recurrence of the illness. Health status and medical late effects were evaluated by a paediatric haematologist.
Results: In contrast to our assumptions, young survivors of leukaemia reported fewer somatic symptoms than healthy age-matched comparison subjects (p < 0.001). Late physical sequelae were uncommon except in the survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Of the survivors, 52% were afraid of recurrence of the illness. The presence of physical or visible impairment and worry of recurrence were unrelated to frequency of somatic symptoms.
Conclusions: The results suggest that experience of childhood leukaemia and its treatment does not result in increased somatic concerns or hypochondriacal tendencies.