The Psychosocial Burden of the ‘Lazarus Effect’: A Systematic Review of Survivor Guilt, Identity Shift, and Discontinuation Anxiety in Exceptional Responders to Cancer Immunotherapy

Background/Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed oncology by inducing unexpected and sustained remissions in some patients; however, this atypical survival may be accompanied by significant psychosocial and existential challenges. The objective was to synthesize the available scientific evidence on the psychosocial burden of the ‘Lazarus Effect’, characterized by survivor guilt, identity shift, and discontinuation anxiety.