Discussing communication issues and needs with adolescents with cancer

Abstract

Adolescents with cancer face unique medical and psychosocial challenges and it is important for their doctors to understand the psychological manifestations of cancer diagnosis and treatment in this age group. Using patient dialogues, we describe how simultaneous participation of physicians and patients could help to give voice to patient needs, in particular concerning communication.

A Textual Analysis for Understanding the Relations and the Identity Construction in Adolescent Oncology Patients: Retrospective Personal Views in Order to Educate Health Professionals

“…The consequent strategy of the researchers, in short, was to set up a focus group, implemented through a semi-structured interview. The national medical conference "Adolescents and Cancer"-held in Rome in November 2019-was the experimental site of the present study, which aimed to examine how adolescent cancer patients in follow-up describe their experience of disease, as we have already discussed in a previous work [11]. Each Italian AIEOP center (AIEOP is the Italian acronym of Associazione Italiana Emato-Oncologia Pediatrica-Italian Association of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology) notified its patients of the interview initiative and gave each of them free choice to participate.…”

“…Given the above-mentioned experimental aims, this contribution is based on previously published reflections and research [4][5][6][11][12][13], and aims to deepen some specific issues through a qualitative-quantitative way that gives patients the role as protagonists of the research itself. The results of this investigation allow a reflection on the construction of personal identity, especially in adolescence.…”

Get up, stand up: Alongside adolescents and young adults with cancer for their right to be forgotten

“…With a sense of responsibility and even pride, young patients have served as testimonials -working side-by-side with their physicians -in projects designed to draw attention to the clinical problems of AYA with cancer, to improve the general population's awareness that even AYA can develop cancer, and that dedicated models of care are needed. 31 Many young patients tell their stories on social media, as this is another way to cope with their disease by seeking a particular kind of (largely emotional) support. It is important to remember, however, that online media characteristically preserve and share information indefinitely, often making it readily available to anyone.…”

“…With a sense of responsibility and even pride, young patients have served as testimonials - working side-by-side with their physicians - in projects designed to draw attention to the clinical problems of AYA with cancer, to improve the general population’s awareness that even AYA can develop cancer, and that dedicated models of care are needed. 31…”

Italian pediatric and adult oncology communities join forces for a national project dedicated to adolescents and young adults with cancer

“…Efforts should be made to provide appropriately equipped spaces and age-specific programs designed to suit AYAs' needs, enabling them to continue living as normally as possible. [36][37][38][39] Patients should be given opportunities to voice their needs and express their choices; their experiences and opinions should be taken into account. The minimum requirements for AYA centers should therefore include flexible age ranges for access to care; a large multidisciplinary team with professionals from different clinical disciplines; the involvement of both pediatric and adult medical oncologists and hematologists; the availability of clinical trials and expertise on a variety of tumor types; agespecific environments designed around AYAs' needs (e.g.…”