Labor Market Attachment 2 Years After Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Population-based Study

To investigate the association between clinical/sociodemographic factors and labor market attachment, and to estimate employment probability 2 years after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery.

A rising prevalence of younger CRC survivors commands a stronger focus on labor market attachment. The association between clinical factors like type of surgery and CRC survivors' labor market attachment remains poorly investigated.

National registries provided information on employment status and clinical/sociodemographic variables for all 20- to 60-year-old CRC patients without previous cancer diagnosed in Denmark from 2001 to 2014, undergoing surgery and being attached to the labor market. Associations between clinical/sociodemographic factors and labor market attachment were investigated in multiple logistic regression analyses.

A total of 5755 CRC patients were included. Two years after surgery, 59.7% were working. Factors significantly associated with a higher probability of working were being in the 46 to 50 years age group, male gender, higher educational level, no comorbidity, working at the time of diagnosis, lower Union for International Cancer Control stage, and undergoing surgery in the most recent of four time-periods. Two years after undergoing surgery, the probability of working was significantly higher for left-sided than for right-sided colon resections, higher for low anterior resection (LAR)/high tumor than for LAR/low tumor, and higher for abdominoperineal resection than for Hartmann's procedure. Of the 4798 (86.8%) patients alive 2 years after surgery, 68.8% were working, 7.8% had retired, whereas 23.4% were on temporary benefits, sick leave, or disability pension.

Clinical/sociodemographic factors were associated with the probability of working 2 years after surgery. This knowledge can be used to inform patients and target interventions towards patients with low post-CRC probability of working.