[Parents, children and parenting in cancer patients: a still poorly addressed issue in the global management of neoplastic diseases].
More than 25% of cancer patients in western countries have less than 18 years old children. While increasing attention has been given to various psychosocial issues related to neoplastic disease, the impact of parental cancer on psychosocial 'functioning' of children and adolescents are still poorly explored. Similarly, the role of parenting concerns on quality of life, compliance to the disease and treatments and therapeutic choices are not sufficiently addressed. Usually, cancer patients are reluctant to openly inform their children about their disease. Such "protective" attitude may cause anxiety and psichological distress in children and affect the coping capability of the whole family. Lack of communication may increase the sense of sadness, grief and despair, experienced by children whose parents are ill and induce long-term psychological consequences. Parenthood, on the other side, carries additional concerns to cancer patients which may render disease management more challenging and painful. The oncology team must favour, through appropriate support programs, communication between patients and their children to ensure a better psychological outcome from a stressful situation deeply affecting quality of life of patients and their families.
De Benedetta
Gabriella
G
Unità Operativa Complessa di Ematologia Oncologica e Trapianto di Cellule Staminali, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Fondazione G. Pascale, IRCCS, Napoli. gdebenedetta@libero.it
Ruggiero
Giuseppe
G
Pinto
Antonio
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D016487:Parenting; D014342:Truth Disclosure