Maja Halgren Olsen

Danish Cancer Society · Survivorship

Background: The socioeconomic differences in survival are pronounced for patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer; disease stage at diagnosis is suggested to be a main driver of this association. This nationwide, population-based study investigates socioeconomic differences in the pre-diagnostic interval and disease stage at diagnosis. Materi...

Importance The socioeconomic gap in survival after cancer is pronounced among patients with head and neck cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of this gap is crucial to target intervention strategies. Objective To investigate socioeconomic differences in survival after oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) according to human papillomavirus...

Background Despite structural and cultural similarities across the Nordic countries, differences in cancer survival remain. With a focus on similarities and differences between the Nordic countries, we investigated the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and stage at diagnosis, anticancer treatment and cancer survival to describe patte...

Despite reporting an overall normal life, survivors of heritable retinoblastoma face numerous physical and psychosocial issues. In particular, reproductive decision‐making is often complex and difficult. This study aims to examine survivors' reflections on passing on heritable retinoblastoma to their children, how survivors approach their reproduct...

Background Survivors of heritable retinoblastoma (RB) face a high risk for second primary cancer and RB in their children. Knowledge of heredity can support second cancer surveillance, convey reproductive options or early diagnosis of RB in their offspring. Currently, all newly diagnosed Danish patients with RB are offered genetic testing, as oppos...

Objective To explore living with heritable retinoblastoma, specifically survivors’ perceived role of regular follow-up at a retinoblastoma survivorship clinic. Methods and analysis Adult survivors of heritable retinoblastoma were recruited from the Retinoblastoma Survivorship Clinic, Aarhus University Hospital. Ten survivors participated in indivi...

Importance In heritable retinoblastoma, there is a significantly increased risk of second primary cancers (SPCs). Improved knowledge about the incidence and influence of heritability and treatment is important during therapy for patients with retinoblastoma. Objective To assess the incidence of SPC in patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma in Denm...

Individuals with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) may have problems in managing the transition between childhood and adulthood, such as forming a relationship or finding a partner. We aimed to determine the association between NF1 and forming and ending marital or cohabiting relationships by comparing a large Danish population of adults with NF1 with popu...

Background: Implementation of new cancer services may lead to socioeconomic differences in uptake and despite reports of more unmet needs among patients with low socioeconomic position studies have found that these patients receive less rehabilitation. We aimed to investigate associations between indicators for socioeconomic position and referral a...

Purpose: In this nationwide registry study, we investigated socioeconomic and structural patterns in referral to phase I cancer trials in a case-control study design. Methods: Personal identification numbers on all Danish patients referred to the Danish Phase I Unit at Rigshospitalet from 2005 to 2016, and a control group matched on age, sex, ty...

Purpose: High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is considered to be the only curative treatment option for patients with refractory or relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Due to toxicity, not all patients are eligible for this treatment leading to different treatment intensities. Here, we aim to analyze...

Background: Socioeconomic inequality in survival after cancer have been reported in several countries and also in Denmark. Changes in cancer diagnostics and treatment may have changed the gap in survival between affluent and deprived patients and we investigated if the differences in relative survival by income has changed in Danish cancer patients...

Background: The risk of depression is inversely associated with socioeconomic position in the general population; however, studies on the association in cancer populations are limited. The aim was to investigate if shorter education was associated with a higher risk of depression following prostate cancer diagnosis. Material and methods: This is a...

In patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is standard treatment. Here, we aim to identify factors associated with survival in patients undergoing ASCT. A total of 369 patients with relapsed DLBCL undergoing ASCT from 2000 to 2012 were identified in...

Background Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard treatment for patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or transformed indolent lymphoma (TIL). The treatment is mainly considered for younger patients still available for the work market. In this study, social outcomes after ASCT in terms of return to work (R...

Background: A diagnosis of breast cancer disrupts the life of the patient, but also the partner may experience adverse psychological effects. We examined partners' risk for first use of antidepressant medication, as a proxy for pharmacologically treated depression. Methods: By linkage of national registers, we identified 1,420,592 depression-fre...

Introduction:Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the largest subgroup of malignant lymphoma. Prognosis has increased after introduction of rituximab, and today more than 80% of the patients will achieve partial or complete remission after standard immunochemotherapy. However, approximately 30% will either present with refractory disease or dev...

The widespread belief that a stressful life event increases cancer incidence and mortality was investigated in a unique cohort of all Danish male political prisoners, who survived the extremely stressful experience of life in German concentration camps between 1943 and 1945. A virtually complete cohort of all 1322 Danish male political prisoners wh...

Many cancer patients who are smokers when starting cancer therapy continue smoking despite evidence of tobacco smoking as a risk factor for poor treatment response and secondary primary cancers. Small samples and inconsistent results in previous studies warrant further research to identify predictors of being a continuous smoker during and after ra...

Background. Socioeconomic differences in survival after head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are among the greatest for any malignancy. To improve our understanding of the mechanisms by which socioeconomic position influences HNSCC survival, we investigated the association between socioeconomic position and advanced stage HNSCC at diagnosi...

Background: No nationwide studies on social position and prevalence of comorbidity among cancer survivors exist. Methods: We performed a nationwide prevalence study defining persons diagnosed with cancer 1943-2010 and alive on the census date 1 January 2011 as cancer survivors. Comorbidity was compared by social position with the non-cancer popu...

Unlabelled: Integrated plans will be required to ensure care and rehabilitation for the growing number of cancer survivors. Information is lacking, however, about the extent to which patients' rehabilitation needs are being met, and characteristics of patients who experience unmet needs after their diagnosis and throughout the disease trajectory....

Objectives: Survivors of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) are more severely affected in regard to affiliation to the work market than other cancer survivors. Few studies have investigated associations between socioeconomic and disease-related factors and work market affiliation after curative treatment of HNSCC. We investigated...

The extent to which experiencing a stressful life event influences breast cancer prognosis remains unknown, as the findings of the few previous epidemiological studies are inconsistent. This large population-based study examines the association between a common major life event, loss of a partner and breast cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality...

The aim of this prospective cohort study of women attending a rehabilitation course at the Dallund Rehabilitation Centre was to explore the emotional and psychological aspects of living with lymphoedema, expressed as psychological distress, poorer quality of life and poorer self-reported health. Between November 2002 and January 2007 within the FOC...