title: Developing a conceptual model of teenage and young adult experiences of cancer through meta-synthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically identify and analyse published research exploring teenage and young adult experience of cancer to inform the development of a patient-reported outcome survey intended to explore if a correlation exists between specialist cancer care and quality of life for young people with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-synthesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, CINAHL Plus and PsycInfo were searched for literature published between 1987 and 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Search terms included those for: population (e.g. teen, young adult); intervention (e.g. cancer); outcome (e.g. experience); and study type (e.g. qualitative).
  
  
  METHODS
  adolescents and young adults were both represented; diagnosis of cancer; published in English; and used qualitative methods to report an aspect of the cancer experience. Studies were excluded if they were reporting: palliative care experience; secondary data; or proxy views, i.e. parent or health professional perspective. Methodological quality was assessed using Cesario criteria and meta-synthesis involved deconstruction and decontextualising findings to identify common themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and fifteen studies were identified, 17 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, most (59%), were assessed as being high quality, none were rated poor. Nine common themes were identified: psychosocial function, importance of peers, experience of healthcare, importance of support, impact of symptoms, striving for normality, impact of diagnosis, positive experiences, and financial consequences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conceptual model developed from the meta-synthesis depicts the mediators and consequences of cancer care that impact on young people's quality of life after a cancer diagnosis. The model highlights areas that require further exploration.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Clinical Trials Unit, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom. rtaylor13@nhs.uk
authors.forename: Rachel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Susie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fern
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whelan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult