Affiliations: Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic
Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands | Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio,
Finland | Department of Gynaecology, Academic Medical Center,
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Note: [] Corresponding author: Sietske J. Tamminga, Coronel Institute of
Occupational Health/Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box
22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Tel.: +31 205663279; Fax: +31
0205666977161; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The purpose of this case study was to describe how the
return-to-work process evolved in an employee with cancer in the Netherlands
and how a work-directed intervention supported this process. The patient was a
35-year old female employee diagnosed with cervix carcinoma. After surgery, the
patient experienced depression, fatigue, fear of recurrence, and low mental
working capacity. Communication with the occupational physician was difficult.
A social worker at the hospital provided three counselling sessions aimed to
support return to work and sent letters to the occupational physician to
improve the communication. The support by the social worker helped the patient
to resume work gradually and the sending of information from the treating
physician and social worker improved the communication with the occupational
physician. This resulted in the patient being able to achieve lasting return to
work. This work-directed intervention was highly valued by the patient and
could be an important addition to usual psycho-oncological care for employees
with cancer.
Keywords: Oncology, psycho-oncological care, cancer survivorship care, trial registration: NTR
