INTRODUCTION: Cancer remains a major cause of death in children, but recent advances in supportive care and progress in the use of chemotherapy have considerably improved the prognosis. The need for intensive care management in pediatric oncology…
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 125 pediatric oncology patients who died in 2010-2014 to explore how healthcare utilization, pediatric palliative care (PPC) receipt, and end-of-life care (EOLC) differed between patients enrolled in early…
Medical marijuana (MM) has become increasingly legal at the state level and accessible to children with serious illness. Pediatric patients with cancer may be particularly receptive to MM, given purported benefits in managing cancer-related symptoms.…
Content: The use of recreational, expressive, and integrative methods of providing supportive care to patients and families coping with cancer is growing in cancer treatment settings. One such method is animal-assisted interventions (AAI). From the…
BACKGROUND: End-of-life care (EOLC) discussions and decisions are common in pediatric oncology. Interracial differences have been identified in adult EOLC preferences, but the relation of race to EOLC in pediatric oncology has not been reported. We…
BACKGROUND: Adolescents living with incurable cancer require ongoing support to process grief, emotions, and information as disease progresses including treatment options (phase 1 clinical trials and/or hospice/palliative care). Little is known about…
OBJECTIVES: Fatigue is common among children living with cancer, particularly in advance stages. Little is known about the effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches to manage this complex and distressing symptom among children. Thus, the…
As a result of oncology research and technology, great improvements in cancer treatment and survival have occurred in the past 2 decades. However, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who received a diagnosis of cancer have not witnessed the same…
Background: The care of pediatric patients with cancer and their families is complex and evolving. Despite significant advances in outcomes, symptoms of disease and complications of therapy continue to cause pain and other symptoms that could be…
CONTEXT: Pediatric palliative care randomized controlled trials (PPC-RCTs) are uncommon. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a PPC-RCT in pediatric cancer patients. METHODS: This was a cohort study embedded in the Pediatric Quality…
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to explore bereaved siblings' positive and negative memories and experiences of their brother's or sister's illness and death. METHOD: In our nationwide Swedish study, 174 of 240 (73%) bereaved siblings participated, and 70%…
CONTEXT: Little is known about how parents of children with advanced cancer classify news they receive about their child's medical condition. OBJECTIVE: To develop concepts of "good news" and "bad news" in discussions of advanced childhood cancer…
Introduction Despite advances in the treatment of cancer in paediatric patients, 15% of children die from the illness progression in Chile, and pain is the most significant symptom in advanced stages. Although the World Health Organization guidelines…
PURPOSE: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer are a cohort requiring specialized healthcare models to address unique cognitive and physical challenges. Advance care planning (ACP) discussions likely warrant age-appropriate adaptation, yet,…
OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on cultural factors influencing clinical care and family management of pediatric cancer. METHODS: A literature review including 72 articles related to cultural issues in pediatric cancer was conducted. Information…
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review of published literature was to identify the number and focus of empirically based papers that included research methods used to directly solicit patient-reported outcomes (PRO) from pediatric oncology patients at…
Approximately 2,200 children and adolescents die a cancer-related death each year in the United States; of these, almost 90% will die while experiencing 2 to 8 troubling symptoms. With improved symptom control and end-of-life care, these patients…
BACKGROUND: Bereavement support is a core tenet of palliative care that may prove difficult for clinicians as it is time-consuming, emotionally charged, and not emphasized in pediatrics training. This project is intended to describe the opinions,…
Death from cancer is often painful. Usually, the pain can be relieved in ways that allow patients to remain awake and alert until the end. Sometimes, however, the only way to relieve pain is to sedate patients until they are unconscious. This method…
BACKGROUND: Adolescents commonly experience loss due to death, and perceived closeness to the deceased can often increase the intensity of bereavement. Adolescents and early young adult (AeYA) oncology patients may recall previous losses or…
BACKGROUND: Many adult patients with cancer who know they are dying choose less intense care; additionally, high-intensity care is associated with worse caregiver outcomes. Little is known about intensity of end-of-life care in children with cancer.…
Purpose Cancer is the leading cause of nonaccidental death among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). High-intensity end-of-life care is expensive and may not be consistent with patient goals. However,the intensity of end-of-life care forAYAdecedents…
Children living with and dying from advanced cancer and their families experience significant suffering. The cure of disease and the relief of suffering are dual moral obligations of our professions. To relieve suffering, health care providers must…
PURPOSE: Children who have a parent with incurable cancer are in a vulnerable situation and the Swedish law tries to protect them. This article aims to explore the interactions between nurses and children of patients with incurable cancer from the…
Communication between pediatric providers, patients, and their families is a key component of for children with serious illness, with broad implications for patient and family outcomes. Recommendations for effective and compassionate palliative…
This article highlights key findings from the "Comprehensive Cancer Care for Children and Their Families" March 2015 joint workshop by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the American Cancer Society. This initiative convened more than 100 family…
OBJECTIVE: Although support programs for children whose parents have cancer have been described and evaluated, formal research has not been conducted to document outcomes. We adapted a group intervention called CLIMB(R), originally developed in the…
Background: Parents of children with cancer admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) often obtain support from social workers and/or chaplains (SWs/Cs). Yet, empirical work describing the roles and activities of SWs/Cs caring for patients…
Importance: Early palliative care integration for cancer patients is now touted as the optimal care model, yet significant barriers often prevent its implementation. A perceived barrier, especially for pediatric oncology patients, is the notion that…
