Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Cancer Survivors in Spain: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study on Prevalence and Sociodemographic and Disease-Related Risk Factors.

OBJECTIVE

This multicentre study investigates unmet supportive care needs (SCNs) among cancer survivors in Spain and analyses sociodemographic and cancer-related risk factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used with 1862 cancer survivors aged 18-92 years who had completed primary treatment with curative intent and were disease-free. Participants responded to the Cancer Survivors' Unmet Needs (CaSUN) questionnaire. Descriptive and multivariate analyses explored SCNs in the total sample and subgroups, as well as differences according to sociodemographic and cancer-related variables.

RESULTS

At least 20% of participants reported 18 needs out of a total of 35 identified by the CaSUN questionnaire. One-third to half reported needs in the comprehensive care and information domain. Risk factors for reporting more needs included younger age; female sex; not having a partner; being on sick leave or unemployed; having a diagnosis of haematological, breast or gynaecological cancer; receiving systemic treatment (chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy); and being at an earlier stage of survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights significant unmet care needs among cancer survivors in Spain and the urgency of improving management of the physical and psychosocial effects of cancer and its treatment. Special attention should be given to those at greatest risk through personalised and comprehensive care strategies integrated into survivorship programs.