The burden of metastatic breast cancer on caregiver productivity and quality of life: A survey study in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany

Caring for a patient with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) can impose a substantial burden and can lead to significant productivity losses. One in three caregivers changed work status after onset of caregiving, either reducing working hours (12 %), stopping work altogether (13 %), or increasing working hours (8 %). Caregivers who reduced hours or stopped working reported better quality of life (QoL) overall with total Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) scores of 71.8 and 65.3, compared to those who maintained or increased work hours (CQOLC scores of 61.3 and 54.4, respectively, [p < 0.001]). While there were no differences in caregiver QoL by patients' disease status (p = 0.48), longer time spent caregiving was associated with lower burden (p = 0.002). Caregiver productivity and QoL scores indicate leaving the workforce may ease the challenges associated with caregiving, suggesting a need for workplace flexibility to better support caregivers. Our study emphasizes the importance of supporting caregivers alongside patients, acknowledging caregiver well-being can significantly influence patient outcomes.