BACKGROUND: The death of a child is a devastating event that results in profound grief and significant psychosocial and physical morbidities in parents. The parental grief journey is a complex phenomenon necessitating the utilization of newer models…
BACKGROUND: We evaluated the efficacy of gemcitabine and docetaxel chemotherapy (GEM + DOC) in children and adolescents with recurrent or refractory osteosarcoma. METHODS: Data of 28 patients (20 male, 8 female) who received gemcitabine (675 or 900…
BACKGROUND: The provision of Section 2302 of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed pediatric patients who are enrolled in Medicaid to receive hospice care concurrently with curative treatment (i.e., concurrent hospice…
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to make a comprehensive inventory of the physical, psychological, and social symptoms of children with cancer and their parents during the palliative phase and the extent to which health professionals address…
BACKGROUND: Hospice is an important provider of end of life care. Adult minorities are less likely to enroll on hospice; little is known regarding the prevalence of pediatric hospice use or the characteristics of its users. Our primary objective was…
BACKGROUND: The management of children with cancer during the end-of-life (EOL) period is often difficult and requires skilled medical professionals. Patients with tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) with relapse or disease progression might…
BACKGROUND: Children with terminal cancer and their families describe a preference for home-based end-of-life care. Inadequate support outside of the hospital is a limiting factor in home location feasibility, particularly in rural regions lacking…
Managing end-of-life care (EoL) is always emotionally taxing. Honest discussions about prognosis and EoL decision-making are often delayed due to questions about the legal competence of adolescents and young adults (AYA) to make decisions for…
Adolescence is a time of great physical change and maturing brain function. This leads to adolescents establishing independence and coming to terms with the implications of their own actions. Not surprisingly, this phase is characterized by…
