Cancer affects employees' physical health, mental health, families, and working lives. Employers have an important role in supporting the whole person.
Globally, about one in five people will develop cancer during their lifetime. For employers, supporting people affected by cancer means addressing more than medical treatment. It also means recognizing the emotional challenges and practical demands that can follow a diagnosis.
Health coverage is essential, but cancer brings challenges that extend beyond physical health. Uncertainty, changes in daily routines, financial pressure, and concerns about the future can all affect mental well-being. Employees may also be caring for a spouse, partner, child, or other family member with cancer while managing their own responsibilities at work.
Depressive disorders are two to three times more likely among people with cancer than in the general population. Cancer and its treatment can also disrupt employees' ability to work, while depression and anxiety may add to those difficulties.
A comprehensive employer response brings together mental health care, workplace flexibility, and practical support—helping employees and families navigate treatment, recovery, and caregiving.
Cancer often brings to mind surgery, hospital visits, and the side effects of treatment. Yet the emotional experience can be just as demanding.
People may face changes in their bodies, uncertainty about treatment, disruptions to relationships and routines, or fear of recurrence. These challenges can continue long after treatment ends.
In a survey of current and former cancer patients, 70% of respondents reported at least one symptom of depression during treatment, and 65% reported at least one symptom of anxiety. More than half—56%—felt unprepared for the mental side effects of treatment.
The survey also highlights the difficulty of accessing emotional support. Respondents most often wished they had received more emotional support (46%) and mental support (39%), yet 59% said they were hesitant to seek support services.
"People with cancer are more likely to experience depression compared to the general population," says Dr. Mary Odafe, Clinical and Scientific Affairs Liaison at Modern Health.
These mental health challenges can affect employees' quality of life, daily functioning, relationships, and ability to manage work. For caregivers, the emotional demands of supporting a loved one may be compounded by changes to routines, financial concerns, and added responsibilities.
For employers, making mental health resources available is an important starting point. Employees also need to understand what support exists, how to access it, and how their privacy will be protected.
Cancer carries significant costs for employers and employees alike. In 2026, 70% of surveyed employers identified cancer as their leading healthcare cost driver, up from 58% the previous year.
Medical spending tells only part of the story. Cancer and its treatment can disrupt employees' working lives, while depression, anxiety, and caregiving responsibilities can add to those challenges.
Behind these numbers are people navigating treatment, recovery, and difficult decisions about their careers. Employers can help by making sure support reflects the full range of employees' needs.
Research also points to a potential financial benefit from addressing mental health alongside physical care. In a study of 182 people with cancer and major depressive disorder, receiving 12 mental health visits in the year following diagnosis was associated with approximately 28% lower estimated annual healthcare charges than receiving no mental health visits.
While the findings do not establish that mental health treatment directly caused the reduction, they reinforce the importance of addressing co-occurring mental health conditions as part of comprehensive cancer care.
Cancer stigma can take many forms, including assumptions about someone's abilities, reliability, or future at work.
A qualitative study of cancer survivors, service providers, and employer representatives found a disconnect in perceptions: Most participating employer and provider representatives believed survivors were unlikely to experience stigma, while survivors described cancer as highly stigmatized in the workplace.
Employees may worry about discrimination, lost opportunities, or how colleagues will respond. Financial pressure can also complicate decisions about taking leave, reducing hours, or returning to work.
Some employees may feel pressured to continue working through treatment or return before they feel ready because they are concerned about their income, job security, or responsibilities to their teams.
Employers can respond with clear policies, respectful communication, and practical help navigating benefits. Employees should have a say in what information is shared with colleagues and what support would be useful to them.
Some employees want to continue working during treatment. Others need time away. Those preferences and needs may change over time.
A supportive approach creates room for both. Depending on the employee's circumstances, that might include leave, adjusted schedules, changes to workload, or a phased return to work.
"Comprehensive support at the hardest moments—like a cancer diagnosis—can make all the difference, helping employees move from fear to resilience," says Dr. Odafe. "That's the kind of care that protects well-being and inspires long-term trust."
"You can't ignore mental health when dealing with a physical health issue—because the two are intertwined," says Dr. Odafe.
Cancer symptoms and treatment can affect emotional well-being, while distress can make coping with illness and daily life more difficult. Access to appropriate mental health care helps people address those challenges and improve their quality of life.
Employer-sponsored mental health care complements the support available through an employee's oncology team. A whole-person response combines that care with workplace policies and practices that help employees manage their health, responsibilities, and changing needs.
Review whether employees can find licensed therapists with experience supporting people affected by cancer and other serious illnesses. Relevant clinical concerns may include fear of recurrence, treatment-related distress, depression, anxiety, grief, and changes in identity or relationships.
Employees and caregivers may also benefit from non-clinical support to manage everyday stress, establish routines, navigate work-life demands, and work toward personal goals.
Mental health benefits that offer both therapy and coaching help employees access different types of support based on their needs, without treating every challenge as a clinical condition.
Explain how employees can access care, what the benefit covers, and how it connects with other resources. Where possible, offer flexible appointment options that accommodate treatment and caregiving schedules.
Support should remain available beyond active treatment, including during recovery, recurrence, or a return to work.
Managers need clear boundaries and practical guidance for supporting employees through a cancer diagnosis. Training should help them listen, respond without assumptions, and connect employees with appropriate resources.
Managers should know how to:
In the U.S., EEOC guidance on cancer in the workplace explains employers' responsibilities around reasonable accommodations and medical confidentiality. Global organizations should align their processes with applicable local requirements.
Mental health care is one part of the response. Employees may also need flexibility to attend appointments, manage fatigue, fulfill caregiving responsibilities, or take time away from work.
Create a clear process for requesting leave and accommodations, and help employees navigate health coverage, disability benefits, and available financial resources.
Where appropriate, discuss a phased return to work and revisit arrangements as needs change. Support should reflect the employee's health, circumstances, and choices, including when time away from work is needed.
Employers should also consider how their workplace policies and benefits work together. Clear communication and coordination between HR, managers, and benefits teams can make it easier for employees to find the support they need without navigating multiple disconnected processes.
Employees caring for someone with cancer may be balancing work with medical appointments, household responsibilities, financial pressures, and significant emotional strain.
A 2018 meta-analysis of family caregivers of people with cancer estimated depression prevalence at approximately 42% and anxiety prevalence at approximately 47%, although estimates varied substantially across studies.
Make sure employees who are caregivers understand that mental health benefits are available to them, too. This includes access to licensed therapy for clinical concerns and non-clinical support for everyday stress, routines, and work-life challenges.
Where the benefit allows, extend mental health care to eligible dependents and clearly communicate which family members are covered and what services they can access.
For example, Modern Health provides eligible dependents with their own confidential session allotments rather than requiring them to share the primary employee's sessions. This allows covered family members to receive care for their individual mental health needs, whether they are navigating an illness or supporting someone they love.
Employers should also communicate relevant leave and flexibility options for employees with caregiving responsibilities.
Cancer-related mental health support has implications for healthcare spending, workforce productivity, and employee experience. Making the business case requires looking at both return on investment (ROI) and value on investment (VOI).
Consider measures such as:
These measures help employers understand how effectively their benefits meet employees' needs and where additional support may be valuable.
Use external research to demonstrate the potential benefits of mental health care and internal data to evaluate how employees engage with available resources. Protect employee privacy, account for differences across populations, and distinguish observed improvements from outcomes directly attributable to a specific program.
For more guidance, explore Modern Health's Stakeholder-Smart Playbook for Proving Benefit Value, which outlines how to combine ROI and VOI measures to build a compelling case for mental health benefits.
Together, these insights give employers a more complete picture of the value of supporting employees through cancer and other serious health challenges.
Cancer affects people differently, and mental health needs often change throughout diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and caregiving. Employees and family members benefit from having access to support that reflects their individual circumstances.
Modern Health's Adaptive Care Model helps members find appropriate support for their needs, goals, and preferences, including:
This approach supports employees managing their own diagnosis as well as those caring for someone with cancer. Eligible family members can also access care for the mental health challenges they experience.
Modern Health's mental health care complements oncology treatment and employer-provided workplace resources, including leave, flexibility, and accommodations, helping employees and families access support as their needs evolve.
Cancer can affect employees as patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members. Its impact on mental health, daily functioning, and work often continues well beyond diagnosis and treatment.
Employers can make a meaningful difference by combining accessible mental health care with flexible workplace policies, informed managers, and support that extends to families.
Together, these resources help employees navigate some of life's most difficult experiences with greater support and less uncertainty about where to turn.
Explore Modern Health's From Milestones to Crisis: Supporting Employees Through Life's Challenges resource for more guidance on supporting employees through major life events.
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