Journal of Clinical Oncology – Caring for the family caregiver in oncology

Across all health care settings, the crucial role played by family caregivers is often overlooked. With medical advancements that have extended the lives of many people with cancer and with most cancer care now being delivered in outpatient settings, the responsibilities placed on caregivers has become increasingly complex.

The physical and psychological well-being among caregivers of people with cancer is five times worse than that reported by the general population, and the psychological distress experienced by those same caregivers often surpasses that of the patients they care for.