Cancer imposes a complex psychosocial burden that extends beyond patients in treatment to include survivors and informal caregivers. While the importance of addressing unmet supportive care needs is increasingly acknowledged, comparative data across these interconnected groups remain scarce. This study aims to descriptively assess and compare the unmet supportive care needs of cancer patients undergoing active treatment, survivors, and informal caregivers, identifying both shared and group-specific patterns across key psychosocial and practical domains.

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 208 individuals (patients, n = 62; survivors, n = 86; caregivers, n = 60) who had accessed services through the Italian League Against Cancer (LILT). Unmet supportive care needs and psychological distress were assessed using validated self-report tools, including measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, and a visual analog stress thermometer. Data were analyzed descriptively. The overlapping index was used to quantify intergroup differences and similarities.

Among the unmet-need profiles reported by patients in active treatment and cancer survivors, the smallest overlap emerged in the information and healthcare service needs domain (η = 0.74). Patients reported the highest levels of unmet needs, particularly in the emotional, informational, and practical domains. Survivors showed overall lower unmet needs compared to patients, although they continued to experience challenges in navigating the healthcare system and in the psychological/emotional sphere. Caregivers displayed unmet-need profiles closely mirroring those of patients, with overlap indices above 0.90 across domains, and their main challenges concerned emotional burden, communication, and coordination within the healthcare system.

This study showed distinct patterns of unmet supportive care needs among patients, survivors, and caregivers, with patients reporting the highest unmet needs—particularly emotional, informational, and practical—and caregivers exhibiting profiles closely overlapping those of patients. Present findings support the implementation of integrated, person- and dyad-centered care throughout the cancer continuum. Longitudinal studies are needed to monitor evolving unmet needs and assess dyad-centered intervention models.