Communication around palliative care principles and advance care planning between oncologists, children with advancing cancer and families.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In medical oncology, palliative care principles and advance care planning are often discussed later in illness, limiting time for conversations to guide goal-concordant care. In pediatric oncology, the frequency, timing and content of communication about palliative care principles and advance care planning remains understudied.

Methods

We audio-recorded serial disease re-evaluation conversations between oncologists, children with advancing cancer and their families across the illness trajectory until death or 24 months from last disease progression. Content analysis was conducted to determine topic frequencies, timing and communication approaches.

Results

One hundred forty one disease re-evaluation discussions were audio-recorded for 17 patient-parent dyads

SUBMITTER: Kaye EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8505663 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature