METHODS: An inception cohort of 417 working women and 252 men newly diagnosed with breast and prostate cancer respectively, were identified and interviewed for a period corresponding to 3 months prior to, and 12 months following diagnosis. Four hundred eight of the women and 233 of the men were also interviewed at 18 months following diagnosis. Patients were asked if their cancer interfered with their ability to perform various job tasks. Chi square tests and logistic regression were used to determine if there was an association between job task interference and the ability of a patient to work at 12 and 18 months.

RESULTS: At 12 months, 32-52% of breast cancer patients reported interference with various physical job tasks and 21-32% reported cancer interference with various cognitive job tasks. There were lower rates of reported cancer interference at 18 months. At 12 months, 22-32% of prostate cancer patients reported interference with various physical job tasks and 10-26% reported cancer interference with various cognitive job tasks. There were lower reported cancer interference rates for prostate cancer patients at 18 months. Women at 12 months were less likely to be working if they reported cancer interference with job tasks requiring physical effort (p<.001), stooping (p<.001), keeping up with others (p<.001), concentration (p<.04), data analysis (p<.02), and learning new things (p<.001). Only cancer interference with having to keep up with others was statististically significantly associated with not working at 12 months for prostate cancer patients (p=.03). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, controlling for demographic factors, health status, and cancer treatment, cancer interference with having to keep up with others was the only statistically significant job task interference factor associated with a breast cancer patient not working at 12 months (odds ratio, .4 [ 95% CI, .18-.9]). There were no statistically significant job task interference factors at 18 months for breast cancer patients.

Conclusions: Cancer may hinder work for employed breast and prostate cancer patients. It appears that this hindrance is transient. Employers should consider making adjustments for employees with cancer who are required to keep up with others on the job.