JAMA Netw Open

Cancer diagnosis linked to higher resignation risk in working women

August 28, 2025

Study details: A matched cohort study analyzed data from nearly 100,000 Japanese women aged 15 to 58 diagnosed with breast, cervical, uterine, or ovarian cancer between 2017 and 2023. Each cancer patient was matched 1:10 to working women without cancer using national health insurance data. Primary outcome: all-cause resignation within two years of diagnosis; Secondary outcome: resignation or death. Stratified Cox models and subgroup analyses were used to identify risk factors.

Results: Resignation rates were significantly higher among women with cancer compared with controls:

• Breast cancer: 18.2% vs. 16.5%; hazard ratio (HR), 1.18
• Cervical cancer: 22.4% vs. 18.7%; HR, 1.31
• Uterine cancer: 18.7% vs. 16.4%; HR, 1.24
• Ovarian cancer: 22.6% vs. 17.9%; HR, 1.44

Clinical impact: These findings highlight the need for targeted workplace support and survivorship planning to help women with cancer remain employed, especially those at higher risk of resignation.

Source:

Iwakura M, et al. (2025, August 25). JAMA Netw Open. Resignation in Working Women With Breast and Gynecologic Cancers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40853656/