OBJECTIVES: Cancer more than other diseases concerns not only patients themselves, but also close relatives of patients. The aim of this study was to estimate lost productivity in a population of close relatives of cancer patients who provide them with home care. METHODS: Survey on a representative sample of Polish economically active population of close relatives to cancer patients was planned. To assess the impact of cancer on productivity of relatives to cancer patients a modified questionnaire WPAI-SHP was used. The WHO performance scale was used to assess general health status of cancer patients. Human capital approach was used to estimate the absenteeism and presenteeism costs. Values are presented in Euro (exchange rate: 1 EUR=4.20 PLN). RESULTS: A total of 23,518 persons were questioned between August 2011 and April 2012. Of them 112 (0.48%) met inclusion criteria and completed WPAI-SHP questionnaire but only 98 persons completed questionnaire properly and were finally included in calculation. The mean age of included persons was 40.2±12.5 years and the average declared weekly work time was 42.7±14.1 hours. The average percent work time missed due to close relatives cancer was 4.7% and corresponded to a weekly average time of the absence of 1.9 hours. In contrast, the percent of working impairment due to cancer of close relatives was estimated at 21.0% and corresponded to weekly average productivity loss of 7.3 hours. When projected on total population, the estimated indirect costs associated with absenteeism amounted to about 154.5 million EUR and were significantly lower than the estimated costs of presenteeism – 607.4 million EUR. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis showed that the loss of productivity in a population of close relatives of cancer patients have important implications for the Polish economy, however less pronounced than costs of productivity loss measured in cancer population (1,935 billion EUR).