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Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH
Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH
Posted: Friday, October 10, 2025
A Japanese cohort study found that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer had a strikingly increased risk of job resignation, demonstrating the necessity of support for survivors of ovarian cancer. Women with a history of depression also had a nearly double increase in resignation risk, according to Masahiro Iwakura, PhD, of Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan, and colleagues.
The study, which looked at nearly 100,000 women aged 15 to 58 years with various cancer diagnoses made between 2017 and 2023, included 8,866 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Subjects were matched 1:10 to women without cancer from the Japan Health Insurance Association database, using qualification loss date and reasons to determine all-cause resignation.
Over a 2-year follow-up period, 22.6% of the ovarian cancer cohort resigned, compared with 17.9% in the matched control group. Ovarian cancer was also found to have the highest hazard ratio among the gynecologic and breast cancer cohorts studied (1.44, 95% CI =1.37–1.51). When the hazard ratio for resignation and death was combined, ovarian remained the highest among the cancer cohorts at 1.81 (95% CI = 1.73–1.89). Subgroup analysis also found that older age, lower income, and history of depression significantly amplified resignation risk across all cancer types studied.
“Differences in cancer stage at diagnosis may partly explain this variation,” the study authors theorized. “For example, ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a more advanced stage than cervical, uterine, or breast cancer.”
The study authors encouraged cancer screening to identify cancer at earlier stages but also recommended regular mental health screening. They also called for targeted workplace support to help retain women diagnosed with cancer in the workforce.
Disclosures: For full disclosures of study authors, visit jamanetwork.com.
