Abstract: Objective: To comprehensively integrate and analyze the basic information, advantages, and disadvantages of family communication assessment tools for cancer patients, providing reference for clinical medical staff to screen communication problems in different cancer patients' families and develop and localize related tools. Methods: The domestic and foreign database were searched up to December 31, 2024 for the relevant literature on the development and sinicization of family communication assessment tools for cancer patients, and the effective information was extracted to form a standardized report. Results: A total of 22 articles were included, including 15 about the development of tools and 7 on cross-cultural adaptation, mainly involving family communication and spousal communication among cancer patients. Conclusion: The family communication assessment tools for cancer patients are trending toward more detailed evaluation content and multidimensional development, yet its overall theoretical support remains weak, with methodological quality and psychometric properties requiring further refinement. It is recommended that future development and Chinese adaptation of such tools integrate theoretical frameworks, diversify tool types, and advance tool optimization.

Key words: cancer patient; family communication; assessment; tool; scale; scoping review