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Cited by 126Nursing care and researchCancer survivorship and careIntergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving

Caring for the informal cancer caregiver.

Open access
Sun, Virginia, Raz, Dan J., Kim, Jae Y.·2019·Current Opinion in Supportive & Palliative Care
DOI 10.1097/spc.0000000000000438PMC PMC6669089
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Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Informal cancer caregivers play a vital role in the physical, functional, and emotional well being of cancer patients. However, the majority of informal caregivers are not prepared for their caregiving role. We reviewed and synthesized the recent literature (last 18 months) and focused on research in the following understudied areas: technology-driven interventions for informal caregivers; informal caregivers of older adults with cancer; interrelationship between informal caregiver and dyadic outcomes; and research priorities and guidelines to improve informal caregiver support. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies focused on technology-driven informal caregiver interventions, with evidence of good feasibility and acceptability with benefits for burden and quality of life (QOL). Studies also focused on QOL for caregivers of older adults with cancer. Finally, research priorities and clinical guidelines were established through Delphi survey studies. SUMMARY: Despite the substantial evidence on informal cancer caregiving, more research is needed to further characterize caregivers at high risk for burden, explicate interrelationships between caregiver/patient outcomes, and test innovative and scalable interventions. Studies are also needed to understand the specific needs of informal caregivers in cancer surgery, an understudied treatment population.

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  • Caregiver stress affects the caregiver's emotional and physical well-being, ability to help the care recipient, and the interpersonal relationship.

    “The impact of caregiver stress is well documented; it not only impacts the emotional and physical well-being of the caregiver herself but may impact the caregiver’s ability to help the care recipient and can influence the interpersonal relationship between the caregiver and the care recipient (Sun et al., 2019).”

    From Utilizing a Manualized Therapy to Provide Parallel Treatment to Older Adults With Cancer and Their Caregivers: A Case Study (2022) · cites this paper as Sun et al., 2019

    The Conclusion says cancer caregiving is a major source of stress and burden that negatively affects caregiver health and quality of life. The ‘Interrelationship between Informal Caregiver and Dyadic Outcomes’ section says caregiver well-being may be associated with patients’ perceived quality of care, but it does not establish an effect on the caregiver’s ability to help or on the interpersonal relationship itself. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Common feelings among caregivers include anxiety, distress, and depression, as well as changes in roles at home, school, or work.

    “Common feelings among caregivers include anxiety, distress, and depression9,10, as well as changes in roles at home, school, or work11.”

    From Anxiety, depression, and quality of life of caregivers of palliative care patients with cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [11]

    The sections on informal caregivers of older adults with cancer and on caregiver–patient outcomes report caregiver distress, depression, and anxiety. The Introduction describes caregiving as demanding, but our copy does not substantiate changes in roles at home, school, or work. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [2]Biegel D, Sales E, Schulz R. Family Caregiving in Chronic Illness: Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancer, Heart DIisease, Mental Illness, and Stroke Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1991.

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Authors
Sun, V., Raz, D. J., & Kim, J. Y.
Affiliations
City Of Hope National Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Sun, Virginia
ORCID
Venue
Current Opinion in Supportive & Palliative Care
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2019-09
Volume
13
Issue
3
Pages
238-242
ISSN
  • 1751-4258 (ISSN-L)
  • 1751-4266
DOI
10.1097/spc.0000000000000438
PMC
PMC6669089
OpenAlex
W2951645017
Cited by
125
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4
FWCI
17.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Cancer Institute (R01CA217841)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving
Keywords
caregiver burden, caregiver quality of life, elderly cancer patients, caregiver support, cancer surgery, caregiver needs, research priorities
MeSH terms
Aging, Family, Humans, Mental Health, Neoplasms, Quality of Life, Stress, Psychological, Caregivers

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