Communication about prognosis between parents and physicians of children with cancer: parent preferences and the impact of prognostic information.

@article{Mack2006CommunicationAP,
  title={Communication about prognosis between parents and physicians of children with cancer: parent preferences and the impact of prognostic information.},
  author={Jennifer W Mack and Joanne Wolfe and Holcombe E. Grier and Paul D. Cleary and Jane C. Weeks},
  journal={Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology},
  year={2006},
  volume={24 33},
  pages={
          5265-70
        }
}
  • J. Mack, J. Wolfe, +2 authors J. Weeks
  • Published 20 November 2006
  • Medicine
  • Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
PURPOSE Concerns about the harms of prognostic information, including distress and loss of hope, cause some physicians to avoid frank disclosure. We aimed to determine parent preferences for prognostic information about their children with cancer and the results of receiving such information. PATIENTS AND METHODS We surveyed 194 parents of children with cancer (overall response rate, 70%), treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital (Boston, MA) and the children's… 
View on PubMed
faros.hsjdbcn.org
253 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
3
Background Citations
74
Methods Citations
17
Results Citations
6

Tables and Topics from this paper

253 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Understanding of prognosis among parents of children with cancer: parental optimism and the parent-physician interaction.
TLDR
Parents of children with cancer are overly optimistic about chances of cure but not about other outcomes of cancer therapy, suggesting that physicians are partly responsible for parents' unrealistic expectations about cure.
Hope and prognostic disclosure.
TLDR
Although physicians sometimes limit prognostic information to preserve hope, there is no evidence that prognostic disclosure makes parents less hopeful, and disclosure of prognosis by the physician can support hope, even when the prognosis is poor.
How Parents of Children With Cancer Learn About Their Children’s Prognosis
TLDR
Reliance on implicit sources was associated with overly-optimistic prognostic estimates and parents who endorsed strong, trusting relationships with physicians were not protected against misinformation.
Research participation experiences of parents of children with cancer who were asked about their child's prognosis.
TLDR
Most participating parents were able to respond to questions about their child's prognosis with little or no distress, and even when distress was present, it was often accompanied by a perception that participating was of value.
Communication preferences of pediatric cancer patients: talking about prognosis and their future life
TLDR
While most pediatric cancer patients want to be involved in conversations about their cancer care, including conversations about prognosis, this is an individual and sometimes fluctuating decision, and healthcare providers should be encouraged to discuss preferences for involvement with patients and families.
Differences in parent-provider concordance regarding prognosis and goals of care among children with advanced cancer.
TLDR
Parent-provider concordance regarding prognosis and goals in advanced pediatric cancer is generally poor, including differences by cancer type, and understanding these differences may inform parent-providers communication and decision making.
Discordance between Physician and the General Public Perceptions of Prognostic Disclosure to Children with Serious Illness: a Korean Nationwide Study
TLDR
Physicians and the general public in Korea differ in their perceptions about informing children of poor prognosis, and gender, education, comorbidity, and caregiver experience were related to attitude toward prognosis disclosure to children.
The evolution of regret: decision-making for parents of children with cancer
TLDR
A small, significant proportion of parents experience heightened regret throughout the first year of their child’s cancer treatment; non-white parents are at higher risk.
Parents' roles in decision making for children with cancer in the first year of cancer treatment.
TLDR
Most parents of children in their first year of cancer treatment participate in decision making to the extent that they wish; although, nearly one fourth hold more passive roles than desired.
"Don't Try to Cover the Sky with Your Hands": Parents' Experiences with Prognosis Communication About Their Children with Advanced Cancer.
TLDR
This qualitative study audiotaped conversations between clinicians and parents of children with newly relapsed or refractory cancer, and interviewed parents about experiences with prognosis communication and asked parents to reflect on physician statements about prognosis.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 57 REFERENCES
Understanding of prognosis among parents of children who died of cancer: impact on treatment goals and integration of palliative care.
TLDR
Considerable delay exists in parental recognition that children have no realistic chance for cure, but earlier recognition of this prognosis by both physicians and parents is associated with a stronger emphasis on treatment directed at lessening suffering and greater integration of palliative care.
Parent and physician perspectives on quality of care at the end of life in children with cancer.
  • J. Mack, J. Hilden, +5 authors J. Wolfe
  • Medicine
    Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • 2005
TLDR
For parents of children who die of cancer, doctor-patient communication is the principal determinant of high-quality physician care.
Cancer patient preferences for communication of prognosis in the metastatic setting.
TLDR
Most metastatic cancer patients want detailed prognostic information but prefer to negotiate the extent, format, and timing of the information they receive from their oncologists.
Preferences for Participation in Treatment Decision Making and Information Needs of Parents of Children With Cancer: A Pilot Study
TLDR
The results showed that parents had systematic preferences about TDM, preferring collaborative followed by passive and active roles, and that parents as a group do not have uniform information needs.
'Hitting You Over the Head': Oncologists' Disclosure of Prognosis to Advanced Cancer Patients
TLDR
Oncologists' reluctance to disclose prognosis and preserve patient hope are held in check by their need to ensure that patients have 'realistic expectations' about therapy, and ways to enhance the communication process are recommended.
The dynamics of change: cancer patients' preferences for information, involvement and support.
TLDR
Situational factors, such as change in disease status, may alter a patient's preferences for information and involvement, and it is needed to match the provision of information and support to the expressed needs of patients.
Prognostic Disclosure to Patients with Cancer near the End of Life
TLDR
To evaluate how often physicians favor communicating frank survival estimates to patients with terminal cancer who request them, a cohort of all patients with cancer admitted to five outpatient hospices in Chicago, Illinois, during 130 consecutive days in winter and spring 1996 is assembled.
Relationship between cancer patients' predictions of prognosis and their treatment preferences.
TLDR
Patients with metastatic colon and lung cancer overestimate their survival probabilities and these estimates may influence their preferences about medical therapies, according to patient and physician estimates of the probability of 6-month survival.
Parents' recollection of the initial communication of the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.
TLDR
Parents learning the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis are receiving a kind of lecture, which contains more information than they can possibly assimilate, and impairment of early comprehension and retention of information about CF is unavoidable.
Documentation of discussions about prognosis with terminally ill patients.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...