Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27177859›Full record

Trial reportAnnals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology2016

Factors associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in family caregivers of patients with incurable cancer.

R D Nipp, A El-Jawahri, J N Fishbein, E R Gallagher, J M Stagl, E R Park, V A Jackson, W F Pirl, J A Greer, J S Temel

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 76 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
76citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
27.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

76 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 174 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Association between dyadic interventions and outcomes in cancer patients: a meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019
    Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Trial
  10. Trial
  11. Impact of caregiver cancer stigma on treatment adherence in newly diagnosed cancer patients: a prospective study.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Observational
  18. Article
  19. Caregiver experiences managing information prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and after transition to home: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  20. Article

16 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

R D NippDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology rnipp@mgh.harvard.edu.
A El-JawahriDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology.
J N FishbeinDepartment of Psychiatry.
E R GallagherDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology.
J M StaglDepartment of Psychiatry.
E R ParkDepartment of Psychiatry.
V A JacksonDepartment of Medicine, Division of Palliative Care, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
W F PirlDepartment of Psychiatry.
J A GreerDepartment of Psychiatry.
J S TemelDepartment of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology.
Center for Systems Biology · USHarvard University · US

Funding

A Randomized trial of early palliative care for newly diagnosed cancer patientsR01NR012735 · NINR · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI TEMEL, JENNIFER SUE · 2011 to 2015
$2.1M
Optimizing Palliative and End of Life Care for Patients with CancerK24CA181253 · NCI · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI TEMEL, JENNIFER SUE · 2014 to 2018
$737k
NCI NIH HHS K24 CA181253NINR NIH HHS R01 NR012735
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFamily caregivers (FCs) are critically important for patients with cancer, yet they may experience psychological distress related to caregiving demands. We sought to describe rates of depression and anxiety in FCs of patients with incurable cancer and identify factors associated with these symptoms to determine those at greatest risk for psychological distress. PATIENTS AND

methodsWe performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a randomized trial of early palliative care. We assessed depression and anxiety using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in patients within 8 weeks of diagnosis of incurable lung or gastrointestinal cancer and their FCs. We also assessed patients' quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), coping strategies (Brief COPE), and their report of the primary goal of their cancer treatment. We used linear regression with purposeful selection of covariates to identify factors associated with FC depression and anxiety symptoms.

resultsWe enrolled 78.6% (n = 275) of potentially eligible FCs. The majority were female (69.1%) and married to the patient (66.2%). While the proportion of FCs and patients reporting depression did not differ (16.4% versus 21.5%, P = 0.13), FCs were more likely to report anxiety compared with patients (42.2% versus 28.4%, P < 0.001). Patients' use of acceptance coping was associated with lower FC depression (B = -0.42, P < 0.001), while emotional support coping was associated with higher FC depression (B = 0.69, P = 0.001) and lower FC anxiety (B = -0.70, P < 0.001). Patient report that their primary goal of their treatment was to 'cure my cancer' was associated with higher FC depression (B = 0.72, P = 0.03).

conclusionsPatients with incurable cancer and their FCs report high levels of depression and anxiety symptoms. We demonstrated that patients' coping strategies and prognostic understanding were associated with FC depression and anxiety symptoms, underscoring the importance of targeting these risk factors when seeking to address the psychological distress experienced by FCs.

Indexed as

AgedAnxiety DisordersCaregiversCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionEmotionsFemaleGastrointestinal NeoplasmsHumansLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedPalliative CareQuality of LifeSurveys and Questionnairesadvanced canceranxietycaregiversdepressionmoodpalliative care

Identifiers

PMID27177859
PMCPMC4959926
OpenAlexW2359671010

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.