Impacts on perspective of death in relatives of pediatric oncology patients: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: The impacts of the news of a child/adolescent with cancer are devastating for the patient and his family. This study highlights-through a systematic literature review-the main consequences on the pediatric oncology patient's family, while facing the cancer situation. Methods and Findings: systematic literature review in BVS (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde) and SciELO (Scientific Eletronic Library Online) from original studies published from January 1 st, 2008 to November 30 th, 2012 and that report the trajectories of illness and/or disease course of pediatric oncology patients in the family perspective. The following keywords were chosen as elegibility criteria on the search: "child"[MesH]; "cancer" [Keyword]; "Family" [MeSH] and "death" [MesH]. Of the 569 manuscripts found, 22 met all these eligibility criteria. Studies have shown that the difficulties begin when the cancer is diagnosed. The acceptance of the diagnosis by the family, the overspending expenses, stress, fear and anxiety are examples of emotional overloads which caregivers are exposed. It is noticed that the caregiver job is performed by the mother, while the father is responsible for the "economic mainstay". On this context, the intimate relation with faith arises or intensifies, in the form of acceptance or denial. Conclusion: The cancer treatment in children should not be focused only on the patient but also on the family-the essential indicator for attenuation on patients suffering.