title: Caregivers' attachment patterns and their interactions with cancer patients' patterns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a brief review of the empirical literature regarding the attachment style of the cancer patients' caregivers as well as the link between attachment, caregiving, and care-receiving behaviors are defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive systematic electronic review (Medline, PsycINFO, and Attachment Theory Website (ATW)) and subsequent examination of reference lists were carried out to retrieve published articles up to 2011, using attachment and cancer in combination with caregiver, spouse, dyad, and family as the key words. The titles, abstracts, or full articles, if necessary, were reviewed to determine whether the articles met the eligibility criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-seven studies have been identified, including research articles, books, and chapters in books.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The attachment style of a caregiver can influence how they respond to a patient's needs. Studies have found that attachment anxiety or avoidance is more likely to interfere with effective and sensitive caregiving.
authors.affiliation: Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 27 Korinthias St., 115 26, Athens, Greece, eleni.tsilika@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsilika
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parpa
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zygogianni
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouloulias
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mystakidou
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D018454:Spouses