Marije L van der Lee

Helen Dowling Institute and Tilburg University

Background The growing group of people with advanced cancer and systemic treatment faces psychosocial challenges, including fear of progression (FoP). This study aimed to identify features that characterize FoP in people with advanced cancer and systemic treatment. Methods An exhaustive list of possible FoP characteristics was generated based on l...

Resilience is defined as the maintenance or relatively quick recovery of mental health during and after adversity. Rather than focusing on psychopathology and its causes, resilience research aims to understand what protective mechanisms shield individuals against developing such disorders and translate these insights to improve psychosocial care. T...

Purpose Breast cancer follow-up (surveillance and aftercare) varies from one-size-fits-all to more personalised approaches. A systematic review was performed to get insight in existing evidence on (cost-)effectiveness of personalised follow-up. Methods PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane were searched between 01–01-2010 and 10–10-2022 (review registered i...

Objectives Lifestyle promotion during follow-up consultations may improve long-term health and quality of life in endometrial cancer patients. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to improve and sustain a healthy lifestyle that can be translated to behavioral methods and strategies for lifestyle counseling. Methods Endometrial ca...

Purpose Despite improved survival for people with advanced cancer due to new medical treatments, a growing group of long-term responders (LTRs) has to learn to live with uncertainties that affect several life domains. At the core of their experience, they neither feel like a patient nor feel healthy. Despite growing awareness of LTRs’ experiences,...

Objective Issues regarding clinician communication remain an important source of complaints within healthcare. This systematic review aims to determine cancer patients' and their family caregivers' views on which clinicians' communication behaviors can harm (i.e. eliciting negative feelings/consequences for patients/family caregivers). Methods We...

Background Chronic fatigue is a common symptom among patients who have been treated for cancer. Current psychosocial interventions typically target the patient alone, despite growing evidence suggesting that a couples’ approach can increase and broaden the efficacy of an intervention. Therefore, based on an existing web-based mindfulness-based cogn...

Objective Approximately 25% of cancer patients suffer from cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) after cancer treatment. CRF is a multi‐factorial condition affected by several interrelated protective and perpetuating factors. As most studies merely assessed bivariate associations, more insight into the complex relationships among these constructs is needed....

Objective Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) is highly prevalent among cancer survivors and leads to decreased quality of life and increased healthcare costs. We assessed the effectiveness of a guided online primary care intervention for FCR, compared to waiting list. Methods In this RCT, participants were recruited online and randomised 1:1. All adu...

Patients with chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) may experience a negative impact of CIPN on daily life. They can use various coping (i.e., dealing with symptoms and resulting impairments in general) and self-management (i.e., practical actions to reduce symptoms) strategies to live with their limitations. This paper...

Purpose A significant proportion of cancer patients suffer from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This descriptive study aimed to examine patients’ experience of CIPN symptoms, daily limitations, involvement of healthcare professionals, and social support. Methods Cross-sectional data have been collected in the Netherlands via a n...

Purpose With the limited availability of mental healthcare, it is of utmost importance to provide care that matches the needs of patients: short if possible, but also more intense when necessary. This study explored whether Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) play a predictive role in the intensity of needed mental health treatment of cancer-related p...

BACKGROUND Chronic fatigue is a common symptom among patients who have been treated for cancer. Current psychosocial interventions typically target the patient alone, despite growing evidence suggesting that a couples’ approach can increase and broaden the efficacy of an intervention. Therefore, based on an existing web-based mindfulness-based cogn...

Background: Psychological distress (PD) and fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) are common consequences of surviving cancer. Online self-help training could help many cancer survivors deal with PD and FCR at low costs. Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the CAncer REcurrence Self-help Training (CAREST trial) to reduce PD and FCR. Mo...

Background: Around 30% of cancer survivors suffer from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) ≥6 months after completion of chemotherapy, which comes with limitations in daily functioning and worsened quality of life(QoL). Treatment options are scarce. Our aim was to develop an online self-help intervention based on Acceptance and Commi...

Purpose Many cancer patients and survivors experience fear or worry about cancer recurrence (FCR). Evidence suggests support for FCR is their largest unmet need. We aimed to assess which types of support are needed, which providers are preferred and to what extent patients’ needs are being met. Methods Together with the Dutch Federation of Cancer...

Purpose The introduction of immunotherapy and targeted therapy has drastically improved the life expectancy of patients with advanced cancer. Despite improved survival, obtaining long-term response can be highly distressing and comes with uncertainties that affect several life domains. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of long...

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most reported long-term effects breast cancer patients experience after diagnosis. Many interventions for CRF are effective, however, not for every individual. Therefore, intervention advice should be adjusted to patients' preferences and characteristics. Our aim was to develop an overview o...

Background Sarcoidosis-associated fatigue is highly prevalent and is often reported as the most burdensome symptom of sarcoidosis. Management of fatigue is challenging, and evidence-based therapies are lacking. In this TIRED trial, we aimed to assess the effects of a 12-week online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (eMBCT) on fatigue. Methods Th...

Background More than half of cancer survivors experience fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). There has been a call for easily accessible, inexpensive interventions for moderate FCR to complement existing specialized care. In the randomized BLANKET trial, we investigated the effectiveness of a short, primary care intervention for FCR. We report on the...

Background About 30% of cancer survivors suffer from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) ≥6 months after completion of chemotherapy. This condition, for which treatment options are scarce, comes with limitations in daily life functioning and decreased quality of life. The current study examines the effectiveness of an online self-help...

Introduction Chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF) is a complex multidimensional problem warranting person-centered care. Providing patients and therapists personalized feedback based on network analysis applied to ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data could facilitate case conceptualization in psycho-oncological care. The aim was to explore p...

Objectives While efficacy research on mindfulness-based interventions in cancer patients is available, research on possible mechanisms of change is lacking. The current study investigated general and week-to-week changes and interrelations in mindfulness and positive and negative affect in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for cancer patie...

Purpose Approximately 25% of cancer patients suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF), which is a complex, multifactorial condition. While there are evidence-based interventions, it remains unclear what treatment works best for the individual patient. This study explored whether baseline characteristics moderated the effect of web-based mi...

Objective: Care for fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is considered the most common unmet need among cancer survivors. Yet the prevalence of FCR and predisposing factors remain inconclusive. To support targeted care, we provide a comprehensive overview of the prevalence and severity of FCR among cancer survivors and patients, as measured using the s...

Purpose: Approximately 25% of cancer patients suffers from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF), which is a complex, multifactorial condition. While there are evidence-based interventions, it remains unclear what treatment works best for the individual patient. This study explored whether baseline characteristics moderated the effect of web-based...

Purpose The growing group of patients who suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF) after cancer have helpful and less helpful ways of responding to this long-lasting and disruptive problem. This qualitative study aimed to gain insight in essential elements of how patients respond to CCRF, with a focus on helpful responses to facilitate ada...

Background Fear of cancer recurrence, depressive symptoms, and cancer-related fatigue are prevalent symptoms among cancer survivors, adversely affecting patients’ quality of life and daily functioning. Effect sizes of interventions targeting these symptoms are mostly small to medium. Personalizing treatment is assumed to improve efficacy. However,...

Objective This article presents a phenomenological study on the embodied experiences of patients with Chronic Cancer-Related Fatigue (CCRF), aiming to better understand this complex phenomenon. Design Data collection consisted of individual interviews with 25 participants who suffered from severe CCRF for at least three months after cancer treatme...

Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) is a concern among cancer patients. Recent insights suggest that FCR should be viewed as a distinct syndrome. However, few studies have explored its overlap with psychiatric morbidity. We examined this overlap in a sample of distressed cancer patients. Self-referred patients ( n = 245) were assessed with the Structur...

Approximately 25% of cancer patients suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF), which is a complex, multifactorial condition. While there are evidence-based interventions, it remains unclear what treatment works best for the individual patient. Psychological network models can offer a schematic representation of interrelations among fatigue...

Objective: Psycho-oncological institutions offer specialized care for cancer patients. Little is known how this care might impact fatigue. This study aimed to identify fatigue trajectories during psychological care, examined factors distinguishing these trajec- tories and predicted fatigue severity after nine months of psycho- logical care. Desi...

Objective Factor structure results of Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI) translations are inconclusive. Through investigating the factor structure, this study aimed to improve the FCRI and its usability. Therefore, we did a comprehensive comparison of the factor structure results of all translations, by exploring and improving the structure...

Background Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been shown to reduce psychological distress in cancer patients but not their partners. Whether MBSR can support patients and partners in coping with the dying and grieving process is less well examined. Aim We aimed to gain more insight in the role of mindfulness in the dying and grieving pr...

Web-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (eMBCT) has been found effective in decreasing fatigue severity in patients suffering from Chronic Cancer-Related Fatigue (CCRF). In web-based therapy, guidance from a therapist positively affects treatment outcome. So far, less is known about what kind of therapist behaviours contribute to treatment ou...

Background One in three cancer patients experience high psychological distress. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective in reducing psychological distress in this patient group. However, these interventions lack availability and flexibility, which may compromise participation in the intervention for cancer patients experiencing late symptoms...

Embodied experiences of patients with severe chronic fatigue after cancer. An interpretive phenomenological study This article presents a phenomenological study on embodied experiences based on interviews with 25 patients with severe chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF). Insight into the patient’s perspective can help to facilitate personalized tr...

Researchers have extensively studied fatigue, depression and anxiety in cancer patients. Several risk and protective factors have been identified for these symptoms. As most studies address these constructs, independently from other symptoms and potential risk and protective factors, more insight into the complex relationships among these construct...

Objectives: This study aimed to identify predictors of returning to work in a group of cancer patients that sought and received help from mental health care institutes specialized in psycho-oncological therapy. Moreover we identified which psychosocial factors were seen as important for returning to work by these patients and therapists working at...

Objective: One of the most prevalent and disrupting symptoms experienced by cancer patients is Chronic Cancer-Related Fatigue (CCRF). A better understanding of the chronic nature of CCRF can provide valuable insights for theory and practice. The purpose of this meta-ethnography was to derive an overarching interpretative narrative on patients' exp...

Background: Information on the prevalence of adjustment disorders among cancer patients and the value of psychological interventions in this group of patients is limited. This study investigates the prevalence of adjustment disorders among cancer patients as well as the reach, effectiveness, cost-utility and budget impact of a tailored psychologic...

BACKGROUND One in three cancer patients experience high psychological distress. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective in reducing psychological distress in this patient group. However, these interventions lack availability and flexibility, which may compromise participation in the intervention for cancer patients experiencing late symptoms...

Introduction Many successfully treated patients with cancer suffer from fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), affecting their quality of life and their physical, emotional, cognitive and social functioning. Effective psychological interventions for FCR exist but are not widely available, as they are typically offered by specialised psycho-oncology profe...

Background: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based group-based psychological treatment in oncology, resulting in reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) has been found to be an effective alternative for MBCT. The therapeutic alliance (the bond between therapist and patient,) is known to ha...

Objective: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common consequence of surviving cancer, therefore an easily accessible self-help training could help many cancer survivors to deal with FCR at low costs. The CAncer REcurrence Self-help Training [CAREST] trial evaluates the effectiveness of an online tailored self-help training, based on evidence-bas...

Objective: It was previously determined that group-based face-to-face Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and individual internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) are equally efficacious compared with treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing psychological distress. In this study, the incremental cost-utility of both interventions compared with TAU was assess...

Three of the most prevalent reported symptoms during and after cancer are fatigue, anxiety and depressive symptoms. In a considerable number of patients these symptoms meet the criteria of somatic symptom disorder, major depression disorder or anxiety disorder. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has proven to be effective in reducing these...

This is Fieke Bruggeman Everts her thesis

BACKGROUND Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an evidence-based group-based psychological treatment in oncology, resulting in reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Internet-based Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (eMBCT) has been found to be an effective alternative for MBCT. The therapeutic alliance, i.e. the bond between ther...

Since Descartes introduced dualism, body and mind have been seen as separate entities. The latent disease model, the view that symptoms are caused by an underlying disease, was possible within the dualistic paradigm. This paradigm, although successful in some aspects of medicine, is also assumed to underlie psychiatric disorders. As an alternative...

Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an innovative evidence‐based intervention in mental and somatic health care. Gaining knowledge of therapeutic factors associated with treatment outcome can improve MBCT. This study focused on predictors of treatment outcome of MBCT for cancer patients and examined whether group cohesion, therapeutic all...

About a quarter of cancer survivors suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF). CCRF has a considerable impact on a patient's life because it hinders in daily life activities and causes distress. To improve the quality and accessibility of interventions for CCRF, this dissertation comprises the evaluation of two different Web-based interven...

Background: Cancer patients may experience psychological distress, like anxiety and depressive symptoms. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been shown to alleviate this psychological distress. However, patients experience barriers in participating in face-to-face MBCT. Individual internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) could be an alternative. AIM...

Purpose Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been shown to alleviate psychological distress in patients with cancer. However, patients experience barriers to participating in face-to-face MBCT. Individual Internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) could be an alternative. The study aim was to compare MBCT and eMBCT with treatment as usual (TAU) for psyc...

Background: Group face-to-face and individual internet-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT and eMBCT) have been demonstrated to reduce psychological distress for distressed cancer patients in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). This study focused on the long-term effects of this RCT during the nine-month follow-up period, and on possib...

Background: The number of patients living with cancer is growing, and a substantial number of patients suffer from psychological distress. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) seem effective in alleviating psychological distress. Unfortunately, several cancer patients find it difficult, if not impossible, to attend a group-based course. Internet...

Objective: The mental burden of cancer might elicit additional health care utilization. However, it is unclear how psychiatric disorder and psychological distress relate to health care utilization. Therefore, this study explores associations between psychiatric disorder, psychological distress, and health care utilization. It was hypothesized that...

Objectives: This study aimed to (1) identify benefit finding trajectories in cancer patients receiving psychological care; (2) examine associations of benefit finding trajectories with levels of and changes in psychological symptoms; and (3) examine whether socio-demographic and medical characteristics distinguished trajectories. Design: Natural...

Background Approximately one third of all patients who have been successfully treated for cancer suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF). Effective and easily accessible interventions are needed for these patients. Objective The current paper reports on the results of a 3-armed randomized controlled trial investigating the clinical effec...

Objective The study objectives are to translate the FCRI in Dutch, and to explore the factor structure and the psychometric qualities of the Dutch translation of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI-NL). Method The original French-Canadian FCRI had been forward-backward translated into English by the developers, and this method was also u...

Most validation studies of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) involved healthy subjects. Validation in patients who suffer from a life-threatening medical illness is needed, to investigate the FMI’s validity in medical psychology research and practice. Psychometric properties of the Dutch FMI were examined in two patient groups of two differe...

BACKGROUND The number of patients living with cancer is growing, and a substantial number of patients suffer from psychological distress. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) seem effective in alleviating psychological distress. Unfortunately, several cancer patients find it difficult, if not impossible, to attend a group-based course. Internet-b...

BACKGROUND Approximately one third of all patients who have been successfully treated for cancer suffer from chronic cancer-related fatigue (CCRF). Effective and easily accessible interventions are needed for these patients. OBJECTIVE The current paper reports on the results of a 3-armed randomized controlled trial investigating the clinical effec...

Background One of the most prevalent long-term consequences of surviving breast cancer is fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), which is associated with higher (mental) healthcare costs and lower surveillance rates. The majority of breast cancer survivors report a need for professional help in dealing with FCR. An easy-accessible and cost-effective evid...