Criteria of sustainable working conditions for cancer survivors: A scoping review

PURPOSE: Cancer survivors often face significant challenges when returning to work, as they must manage both the long-term and fluctuating side effects of cancer treatment and the job demands. Supporting return-to-work and long-term job retention is essential for restoring normalcy, self-esteem, and social integration, and promoting inclusive employment after a cancer diagnosis. This scoping review maps the literature on working conditions that promote sustained job retention of cancer survivors, reviews the methodologies used, and identifies knowledge gaps. METHODS: A systematic search across four international databases was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Studies were included if they were published between 2014 and 2026, involved working-age individuals, focused on survivors and/or stakeholders, and addressed working conditions during return-to-work or job retention. The Eurofound's multidimensional job quality model was used to analyze working conditions and job accommodations post-diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 10 979 records, 43 articles were included. Most did not explicitly refer to the concept of sustained job retention, focusing mainly on factors that hinder or facilitate return-to-work properly said and its quality. Although the main criteria of Eurofound's job quality model have been mentioned in studies, including work intensity, working hours, and working time, few addressed the issue of sustainable working conditions influencing long-term job retention. CONCLUSION: The concept of long-term job retention among cancer survivors is rarely addressed, as is the sustainability of their working conditions. This can be explained by the short- or medium-term objectives of most studies.