[Current Status and Challenges of Work-Related Issues among Cancer Patients]

The 5-year relative survival rate of cancer patients in Japan has reached 62.1% owing to advances in cancer treatments. Half of the people are diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, and one-third of cancer patients belong to the working-age generation between the ages of 20 and 65. In Japan, various governmental policies have been developed in a short period of time with the aim of balancing cancer treatment and employment. The Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs in Japan, enacted in 2017, specifies the need to prevent cancer patients from leaving employment and to support re-employment, as well as the need for further collaboration among medical institutions, occupations, and local communities. However, Japanese people's perceptions regarding employment of cancer patients is still negative. Employment support for cancer patients is regarded as an important topic in cancer survivorship, and various findings have been accumulated in Japan and other countries. The impact of onset of cancer on the employment of patients is influenced not only by medical factors but also by other factors such as individual factors, health status, psychosocial factors, willingness to work, and workplacerelated factors. Hence, the situations of individuals differ greatly. It is necessary to examine the current state of research and support based on these factors. Points to keep in mind when providing support to balance both cancer and employment include: 1 ) there are many persons related to working cancer patients who are involved and 2 ) it is difficult for physicians to understand the full picture of a patient's job based on the labor contract. Appropriate information sharing; environmental improvement; and mutual cooperation in medical treatment sites, workplaces, and local communities are essential.