Purpose
Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is among the most commonly reported problems and one of the most prevalent areas of unmet needs for cancer survivors and their carers. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge on FCR and to formulate recommendations for future research.

Fear of cancer recurrence in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review of quantitative studies

Objective: To adequately help family caregivers (FCs) of cancer patients, clinicians need to understand the complexity of the problems and responsibilities associated with cancer patients illness that FCs experience.

Methods: This systematic review identified the types of problems and burdens that FCs of cancer patients experience during the patient's illness. We also analyzed the language caregivers use to communicate their problems and responsibilities related to caregiving for the cancer patient.

Results: Of 2845 titles identified, 192 articles met the inclusion criteria and are included in this review. Of these, 164 were research-based. In addition to FC responsibilities and the impact of being a caregiver on daily life, a number of other physical, social, and emotional problems related to caregiving for these FCs were identified.

Conclusion: A substantial evidence base supports the conclusion that FCs experience many difficult problems and increased responsibilities during and after the patient is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for cancer. The insights gained from this review will help researchers and clinicians to understand the complexity of problems and responsibilities FCs experience. This understanding may encourage them to include support for FCs as part of total or holistic patient care. However, more research is needed to better understand the variations in caregiving experiences over time; how the caregiving perspective is influenced by different cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic backgrounds as well as gender and age; and how problems and responsibilities related to caregiving interfere with daily life. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/pon.1670

Review of the literature on the effects of caring for a patient with cancer.

Purpose To understand family caregivers' needs for better preparation and care, this state-of-the-science review examines the effect of caregiving on the health and well-being of caregivers, the efficacy of research-tested interventions on patient and caregiver outcomes, implications of the research on policy and practice, and recommendations for practice and future research. Methods We reviewed research that described the multiple effects of cancer on caregivers' well-being. Five meta-analyses were analyzed to determine the effect of interventions with caregivers on patient and caregiver outcomes. In addition, we reviewed legislation such as the Affordable Care Act and the Family Leave Act along with current primary care practice to determine whether family caregivers' needs have been addressed. Results Research findings indicate that caregiver stress can lead to psychological and sleep disturbances and changes in caregivers' physical health, immune function, and financial well-being. Research-tested int...

Psychosocial Care for Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer

BACKGROUND.
Cancer affects not only the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with the disease but also that of their family members and close friends. The impact on various aspects of the family caregivers' QOL is significant throughout the trajectory of the illness. The authors reviewed literature on the QOL of family caregivers at the acute and middle- to long-term survivorship phases as well as the bereavement phase.

METHODS.
By using several databases, the authors searched the literature published in English from 1996 through July 2007. Keywords searched included cancer, carcinoma, family, family member, caregivers, and quality of life. Several criteria were used to guide the literature review: Articles had to be published in refereed journals and had to use rigorous methods, sample, and validated measures.

RESULTS.
The findings suggested that the QOL of family caregivers of individuals with cancer varies along the illness trajectory. This highlights were importance of assessing the ongoing adjustment of the caregivers over time. However, there were few theory-driven studies, and significant gaps remain in the current understanding of the effects of family caregiving beyond the time of diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS.
Accumulating evidence has supported the concept that cancer affects not only the patients/survivors but also their family members. However, theoretically and methodologically rigorous research on various aspects of the family's QOL, including not only the psychological but also the physical, spiritual, and behavioral adjustment to cancer in the family, remains sparse. Family-based interventions across the trajectory of the illness also are needed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer survivors: across the trajectory of the illness.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of cancer from family caregivers' perspective, based on a comparative analysis of caregiving burden and distress, among four types of caregivers. Methods: The sample included caregivers of persons with cancer, dementia, diabetes, or frail elderly from a nationally representative sample of 606 caregivers. Results: Although the four different types of caregivers were comparable in most sociodemographic characteristics, caregiving involvement and caregiving outcomes differed among the caregiving groups. Both cancer and dementia caregivers reported greater levels of physical burden and psychological distress than other caregivers, after controlling for sociodemographic and caregiving involvement (i.e., level of burden and caregiving duration) factors. Discussion: The comparative analysis provided a systematic review of cancer caregiving in the context of three other types of caregiving. Given the high levels of burden and distress, greater emphasis should...

Family Caregivers' Strains: Comparative Analysis of Cancer Caregiving With Dementia, Diabetes, and Frail Elderly Caregiving

Although survival rates for all cancers continue to increase, few studies have examined the quality of life of both cancer survivors and family caregivers during the survivorship period after treatment has ended. Information is lacking on the stressors, resources, meaning, and quality of life reported by survivors and family caregivers and the interrelationship between survivors' and family caregivers' quality of life. A stratified, random sample of 123 cancer survivors and 123 family caregivers (N = 246) were interviewed in an exploratory, cross-sectional design 1-6 years after cancer treatment had ended. Approximately half (N = 62) of the dyads were white and half (N = 61) were African American. Results indicated that cancer survivors reported significantly higher quality of life, less fear of cancer recurrence, and more support than their family caregivers. The strongest predictors for cancer survivors' quality of life were family stressors, social support, meaning of the illness, and employment status, whereas the strongest predictors for family caregivers' quality of life were fear of recurrence and social support. Both the survivor's and family caregiver's quality of life independently contributed to the other's quality of life. Findings from this study suggest the importance of including both survivors and family caregivers in programs of care.

Linda K. Weiss

Papers

A Population-Based Study of the Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors and Their Family Caregivers