One in four employees with cancer will keep the diagnosis to themselves because they feel unable to talk about their illness at work, research has suggested.

A report by the charity Reframe Cancer has warned this makes it more likely they will need to take prolonged absences from work and even consider resignation as a result.

The research, which was commissioned by Reframe Cancer among 500 UK adults who have worked with cancer, found that 28% avoided talking about their illness with colleagues.

Men especially found opening up a tough conversation, with half (49%) saying they did not feel comfortable talking openly with their peers. And 60% of employees aged over 55 agreed with this.

But they were not alone in struggling to talk about the condition in the workplace, as 16% of employees said they had experienced colleagues ‘actively avoiding’ the topic with them, Reframe Cancer said.

As a result, 45% believed their colleagues considered them to be a burden during their time trying to juggle work responsibilities with cancer and 35% said they felt isolated.

What’s more, a direct link was made between employees who feel that they’ve become a burden with those who take extended periods of sick leave – with the average employee taking a 15-week absence.

It’s estimated that there are currently 900,000 people in the UK who have cancer that are of working age (16 to 64 years old).

Yet, despite the rising rate of people working with cancer, the study revealed that employers are ill-prepared to cope, as 77% of workers considered the current levels of support offered fall seriously short of meeting their needs.

Mark Stephenson, chief executive of Reframe Cancer, said: “Cancer is a topic most people tiptoe around. But this lack of openness and support is leading to many employees feeling they are battling it alone.

“During our research we were saddened to hear that many people are taking longer periods of absence from work and even considering resigning because of their negative workplace experiences.

“But the experience of working with cancer doesn’t need to be negative. Our research found that when employees feel supported by their employer and their peers, they are more likely to consider work to be a good distraction and they feel less pressure to return to work before they are well enough.

“What’s more, workers can come out of the other side of their health battle with more loyalty and resilience, greater compassion and empathy. They can become greater advocates,” Stephenson added.

The study – findings of which are included in charity’s The Employee Experience Report: Living and Working with Cancer – also found that as few as 27% of employees shared their pre-diagnosis concerns with their employer and a little over half (55%) told their managers at the point of diagnosis.