Caregivers of cancer survivors: the state of the field

Increasingly, researchers and clinicians are recognising the reverberating impact of a cancer diagnosis on patients' families. Upon diagnosis, families often find themselves grappling with intense emotions and existential concerns at the same time as they are providing support to patients, taking on novel care giving roles and responsibilities and attempting to remain afloat with other competing life events. In the midst of this whirlwind, patients and their caregivers may be struggling to find optimal coping strategies and adjust to potential disruptions in routines and activities. Despite efforts to manage care giving demands, these may inadvertently exceed caregivers’ capabilities and result in them feeling burdened and exhausted. This paper reviews current evidence on the impact of a cancer diagnosis on families/caregivers, with a particular focus on the survivorship stage as well as Australian research initiatives. In addition, intervention research designed to assist families/caregivers with the demands of their roles will be reviewed. Last, limitations hampering caregiver research and priorities for future research will be discussed.