Cancer in children and adolescents in the family settings: perceptions and experiences with respect to their diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: Diagnosis of cancer in children and adolescents may affect relationships and family dynamics, apart from provoking suffering and fears due to mistrust on the discovery, treatment, and control of the disease. Considering the above, the purpose of this study is to understand what families face when cancer is diagnosed in children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-cutting and qualitative study was carried out at the Oncology High Complexity Center Irmã Malvina de Montes Claros-MG. For the purposes of this research, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 27 family caregivers of children and adolescents with cancer who met the inclusion criteria. Later, the data were tabulated and analyzed using the content analysis technique. This study was authorized by the Research Ethics Committee under report 2.536.184/2018. Results: Once data had been analyzed, it was possible to draw up a socioeconomic profile of the family member and an epidemiological profile of the child patient. Most of the family members were female who were related to the child patient in the first grade of consanguinity and devoted their time to activities related to the care of the child. With respect to the epidemiology, about 55% of the cases were related to Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Discussion: Results were grouped into three categories covering the initial impact of the diagnosis, knowledge as a form of relief, and strategies for coping with the disease. Conclusions: It was observed that the diagnosis of cancer in children and adolescents has a great impact on family dynamics, generating hurtful and desperate feelings in these families, which trigger the search for alternatives to face this illness that can be adapted to this new reality.