The burdens, coping strategies, and unmet needs of family caregivers of Chinese patients with lymphoma receiving commercial CAR-T-cell therapy: A qualitative study

Objective: This study aimed to describe the caregiving experiences, coping strategies, and unmet health care needs of family caregivers supporting Chinese patients with large B-cell lymphoma receiving commercial chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 19 primary family caregivers at a university-affiliated cancer centre in southern China. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) overwhelming caregiving burden, including financial strain, emotional distress, and role conflict; (2) caregivers' patient-centred coping strategies, including familial financial sacrifice, emotional suppression to protect the patient, and reprioritizing work and personal life for care; and (3) unmet caregiver support needs, including navigating therapy costs without systemic support, gaps in caregiver education and care coordination, and caregivers' emotional support being overlooked in care systems. Conclusions: Family caregivers of patients receiving this therapy in China experience significant challenges, which are often managed through culturally influenced coping strategies amid limited formal support. A caregiver-inclusive approach (including financial reforms, tailored caregiver education, increased care coordination, and psychosocial services) is essential to support the well-being of family caregivers and optimize treatment outcomes amid evolving oncology trends in China.