Every year, millions of family members and friends provide care for loved ones undergoing
cancer treatment, often at great emotional cost. A new scoping review, published this week in
Archives of Geriatrics and Gerontology Plus, confirms the toll that this work can take on caregivers’
mental health. According to the review, most studies show that more than 15% of those who care for loved ones with cancer suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The comprehensive literature review found that caregivers with pre-existing mental health conditions, lower social support, and higher caregiver burden were at greater risk of PTSD. Additionally, patient-related factors such as disease severity, symptom burden, and perceived likelihood of death also contributed to caregiver distress.
The study also found that caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer or acute leukemia were among the most distressed, with up to 37% of them meeting PTSD criteria.
The most commonly reported PTSD symptoms were intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance. Unlike in other forms of trauma, avoidance, typically a key symptom of PTSD, was not an option, as caregivers remained deeply involved in their loved one’s cancer care.
“We were surprised to find so few studies on traumatic stress among caregivers of adult cancer patients,” says co-author Carmine Malfitano, director of research and education at the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health and clinical social work specialist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “There is an urgent need for further research to reduce this gap in the literature and to develop proactive, evidence-based interventions to better integrate caregiver support in oncology care.”
Improving support will require more proactive screening, say the researchers.
The high prevalence of PTSD among adult cancer caregivers underscores the need to ensure they receive early support, especially at key points such as diagnosis, recurrence, or treatment transitions.
Ref: Klekovkina E, Stern M A et al. Traumatic stress in caregivers of adult patients with cancer: A scoping review; Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus: Volume 2, Issue 2, June 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aggp.2025.100141
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