Millions of family members and friends annually undertake the emotionally taxing role of caregivers for loved ones undergoing cancer treatment. A recent scoping review published in the Archives of Geriatrics and Gerontology Plus sheds light on the considerable mental health impacts these caregivers face. The findings indicate that a significant percentage, more than 15%, of these caregivers have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Elizaveta Klekovkina, the study’s lead author and a social worker at the Department of Supportive Care at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, points out that caregivers are often neglected in psychosocial oncology care, leaving many without the necessary support to cope with their challenges.
The study meticulously analysed existing literature and identified several risk factors that increase the likelihood of PTSD among caregivers. These include pre-existing mental health conditions, inadequate social support, and the high burden of caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, patient-related factors like the severity of the disease, symptom burden, and perceived likelihood of death also contribute significantly to caregiver distress. Highlighting these risk factors is crucial for developing targeted interventions that can prevent and alleviate traumatic stress in caregivers, according to Klekovkina and co-author Maya Stern, both of whom are recent graduates from the Master of Social Work program at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.
One of the more alarming findings of the review is that caregivers of patients with particularly severe conditions, such as head and neck cancer or acute leukemia, experience distress at much higher rates, with up to 37% meeting the criteria for PTSD. The most commonly reported symptoms among these caregivers were intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance. Unlike other trauma types where avoidance is a typical response, caregivers cannot simply step away, as they remain deeply involved in the day-to-day care of their loved ones.
The scope of the review included 23 studies focused on the relationship between traumatic stress and caregivers of adult cancer patients. However, the review also pointed out significant limitations in the existing research, notably that most studies are cross-sectional with small sample sizes and lack racial and gender diversity. Carmine Malfitano, co-author and Director of research and education at the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health, emphasised the surprising dearth of research on traumatic stress among caregivers, underscoring the urgent need for more robust studies to fill this gap in the literature and to develop proactive, evidence-based interventions that better integrate caregiver support in oncology care.
The researchers advocate for more proactive screening measures to identify and support caregivers at risk of PTSD. Esme Fuller-Thomson, the study’s senior author and Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging at the University of Toronto, warns of the long-term impacts on the mental and physical health of caregivers if their traumatic stress is not addressed. She stresses the importance of ensuring caregivers receive early support, especially at critical moments such as diagnosis, recurrence, or during treatment transitions, to mitigate the high prevalence of PTSD and improve the overall support systems for caregivers of adult cancer patients.
More information: Elizaveta Klekovkina et al, Traumatic stress in caregivers of adult patients with cancer: A scoping review, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus. DOI: 10.1016/j.aggp.2025.100141
Journal information: Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus Provided by University of Toronto
