The role of metacognition and its indirect effect through cognitive attentional syndrome on fear of cancer recurrence trajectories: A longitudinal study.

While most patients experienced low level of FCR, 3 in 10 persistently worried about cancer returning over the first 12-months postsurgery. Modifying metacognitive knowledge to interrupt maladaptive cognitive processing including intrusion and avoidance may be an effective therapeutic intervention for patients at risk of persistent FCR.