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Open research questions in Cancer survivorship and care

558 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 3,199 Cancer survivorship and care papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The study identifies a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between body esteem and sexual life in Turkish patients with cancer. There is a need to explore the factors affecting body esteem and sexual life in this population.

    Body esteem and sexual life in Turkish patients with cancer · 2026 · DOI

  • Further comprehensive studies are required to validate the psychometric properties of existing PROMs, - Rigorous validation is required for some PROMs

    Instruments for measuring body image in breast cancer patients: a systematic review of measurement properties · 2026 · DOI

  • The measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures for measuring body image in breast cancer patients have not been rigorously evaluated. There is a lack of comprehensive reviews of the measurement properties of these instruments. The methodological quality of the included studies has not been systematically assessed.

    Instruments for measuring body image in breast cancer patients: a systematic review of measurement properties · 2026 · DOI

  • The heterogeneity of the clinical evidence on the efficacy of DSM-TACE. The risk of liver toxicity and functional deterioration associated with conventional TACE approaches. The need for a standardized methodology to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DSM-TACE in clinical practice.

    DSM-TACE Versus Conventional Approaches in HCC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to explore the differences in enzyme changes across TACE techniques, - Comparative analyses should be performed to assess the efficacy of DSM-TACE in different patient populations, - The safety profile of DSM-TACE should be further evaluated in larger studies

    DSM-TACE Versus Conventional Approaches in HCC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The persistent marginalization of sexual health in cancer care. The need to understand how AI participates in care networks and reshapes the sociomaterial conditions of care. The challenge of developing conceptual insights into relational care, responsibility, and the organization of care networks in the context of AI.

    Artificial Intelligence, Cancer Nursing, and Sexual Health: Reassembling Care Networks in Digital Care · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of attention to how AI reshapes the articulation and integration of fundamental care needs in cancer nursing. The need to develop conceptual insights into relational care, responsibility, and the organization of care networks in the context of AI.

    Artificial Intelligence, Cancer Nursing, and Sexual Health: Reassembling Care Networks in Digital Care · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the psychological aspects of cancer patients, particularly illness perception and resiliency. Most research has focused on the physical well-being and quality of life of cancer patients. There is a need to examine the relationship between illness perception and resiliency among cancer patients.

    A cross-sectional study on illness perception and resiliency among cancer patients, in Bhaktapur cancer hospital · 2026 · DOI

  • the study was conducted at a single center, - the sample size was limited to 413 patients, - the study used convenience sampling

    Illness uncertainty in individuals with gynecologic and breast cancer: A latent profile analysis and structural equation modeling · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited understanding of illness uncertainty in patients with gynecologic and breast cancers. Lack of studies examining the mediating role of illness uncertainty between social support and depressive symptoms.

    Illness uncertainty in individuals with gynecologic and breast cancer: A latent profile analysis and structural equation modeling · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies could investigate the long-term effects of adherence to lymphedema prevention behaviors, - Research could focus on developing targeted interventions to improve adherence, - Studies could explore the relationship between adherence and lymphedema risk in different populations

    Latent profiles of adherence to lymphedema prevention behaviors and associated factors among breast cancer patients after surgery: a cross-sectional study · 2026 · DOI

  • Previous studies have largely assessed adherence at the overall level, providing limited insight into differences in behavioral patterns. There is a need for a person-centered approach to identify distinct adherence profiles and examine associated factors.

    Latent profiles of adherence to lymphedema prevention behaviors and associated factors among breast cancer patients after surgery: a cross-sectional study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faced challenges in establishing cross-language measurement invariance for the CaSUN. The study identified potential instability of the five-factor structure specifically in the Kazakh language version. The study had to address the issue of language of administration and its association with unmet supportive-care needs.

    Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs Measure (CaSUN) in Russian- and Kazakh-Speaking Cancer Survivors in Kazakhstan · 2026 · DOI

  • further studies could investigate the use of the HADS in other populations, - longitudinal studies could examine the clinical progress of individuals receiving psychological care in an oncological context

    Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in cancer patients · 2025 · DOI

  • There is a lack of consensus on the factor structure of the HADS. The HADS has not been extensively validated in cancer patients. There is a need for a reliable and valid instrument to assess anxiety and depression in cancer patients.

    Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in cancer patients · 2025 · DOI

  • further research is needed to validate the IRD scale in different populations, - research is needed to explore the clinical utility of the IRD scale, - studies should investigate the use of the IRD scale in conjunction with other measures of distress

    The Illness-Related Distress Scale: development and psychometric evaluation of a new transdiagnostic measure · 2025 · DOI

  • Conventional self-report measures do not distinguish distress related to long-term conditions from primary mental health disorders. There is a lack of a transdiagnostic measure of illness-related distress that can be used across long-term conditions.

    The Illness-Related Distress Scale: development and psychometric evaluation of a new transdiagnostic measure · 2025 · DOI

  • The study faced challenges in collecting data from breast cancer patients and their spouses, requiring careful consideration of the participants' emotional well-being. The researchers had to ensure that the instructions communicated to study subjects remained consistent, requiring uniform training for the researchers. The study also faced challenges in analyzing the complex relationships between dyadic coping, family adaptation, and benefit finding.

    A dyadic analysis of family adaptation among breast cancer patients and their spouses based on the framework of family stress coping theory · 2024 · DOI

  • Previous studies have focused on individual coping styles, neglecting the dyadic perspective. There is a lack of research on the mediating role of benefit finding in the effect of dyadic coping on family adaptation. The study aims to address this gap by exploring the correlation between dyadic coping, family adaptation, and benefit finding in couples with breast cancer.

    A dyadic analysis of family adaptation among breast cancer patients and their spouses based on the framework of family stress coping theory · 2024 · DOI

  • Cancer caregivers face challenges in communicating and sharing health information with healthcare professionals. Caregivers may experience burden, distress, and low self-efficacy. There is a need to address health literacy skills among cancer caregivers to alleviate these challenges.

    Health literacy, eHealth literacy and their association with burden, distress, and self-efficacy among cancer caregivers · 2024 · DOI

  • Little is known about health literacy among cancer caregivers. There is a need to explore the relationship between health literacy/eHealth literacy and burden, distress, and self-efficacy.

    Health literacy, eHealth literacy and their association with burden, distress, and self-efficacy among cancer caregivers · 2024 · DOI

  • Postoperative patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma face physiological, psychological, and social challenges. Enhancing psycho-social adjustment is crucial to improve quality of life. The study identifies the need to investigate the current status of psycho-social adjustment and its influencing factors.

    Impact of psychological resilience and social support on psycho-social adjustment in postoperative patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma: mediating effects of fear of progression · 2024 · DOI

  • Further research is needed to explore the interrelationships among psychological resilience, social support, FoP, and PSA. Investigations into the associations between PSA levels and other variables, such as disease progression and quality of life, are necessary

    Impact of psychological resilience and social support on psycho-social adjustment in postoperative patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma: mediating effects of fear of progression · 2024 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the relationship between family functioning and fear of disease progression in other types of cancer. Research can explore the impact of family functioning on the mental health of cancer patients. Studies can examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving family functioning in cancer patients.

    Fear of disease progression, self-management efficacy, and family functioning in patients with breast cancer: a cross-sectional relationship study · 2024 · DOI

  • There is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the associations between fear of disease progression and demographic, clinical, self-management efficacy, and family functioning factors. Prior studies have not developed a clinically-relevant prediction model to identify patients with high fear of disease progression.

    Fear of disease progression, self-management efficacy, and family functioning in patients with breast cancer: a cross-sectional relationship study · 2024 · DOI

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558 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 3,199 Cancer survivorship and care papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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