ArticlePediatrics2021
Prognostic Communication Between Oncologists and Parents of Children With Advanced Cancer.
Article in Pediatrics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Systematic review of observational coding systems to assess patient-healthcare professional interactions.Patient education and counseling · 2025Pooled it
- Shifting sands: How parents engage with the idea of their child's death.Palliative & supportive care · 2026Article
- Planting seeds for seasons ahead: Communication strategies for prognostic disclosure in pediatric neuro-oncology.Neuro-oncology practice · 2026Article
- Managing Conflicting Prognostic Communication Preferences in Pediatric Oncology.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Are we Optimizing Multidisciplinary Care when it Matters Most? Evaluating Psychosocial Involvement in Critical Conversations in a Pediatric Oncology Clinic.Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings · 2026Article
- Hope and Uncertainty in Prognostic Discussions.Pediatrics · 2026Article
- Differences in Patient and Parent Preferences for Prognostic Communication Across Disease Milestones in Advanced Childhood Cancer.Pediatric blood & cancer · 2025Article
- Communication About Prognosis Across Advancing Childhood Cancer: Preferences and Recommendations from Bereaved Parents.Journal of palliative medicine · 2025Article
- In-Person and Virtual Adaptation of an Interprofessional Palliative Care Communications Skills Training Course for Pediatric Oncology Clinicians.Advances in cancer education and quality improvement · 2025Article
- Article
- "We Were Still Left in the Back Field, Not Knowing": Pediatric Cancer Patients and Parents Describe Obstacles to Prognostic Communication.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
- Preferences for Communication About Prognosis Among Children With Cancer, Parents, and Oncologists.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Patient, Parent, and Oncologist Perspectives and Recommendations on the Right Way to Talk About Prognosis in Advanced Childhood Cancer.JCO oncology practice · 2025Article
- Goals of care conversations and advance care planning for paediatric patients living with serious illness.Paediatrics & child health · 2024Review
- Les objectifs des échanges sur les soins et de la planification préalable des soins chez les patients d'âge pédiatrique atteints d'une maladie grave.Paediatrics & child health · 2024Review
- Facilitators and barriers to parent-child communication in pediatric palliative care: An integrative review.International journal of nursing sciences · 2024Review
- Article
- Parent and oncologist perspectives on prognostic disclosure in advanced childhood cancer: communication pearls and pitfalls.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- Questions to promote child-centered care in racially discordant interactions in pediatric oncology.Patient education and counseling · 2024Article
- Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesParents of children with cancer perceive deficits in quality of prognostic communication. How oncologists disclose information about disease progression and incurability and how prognostic communication impacts parental understanding of prognosis are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to (1) characterize communication strategies used by pediatric oncologists to share prognostic information across a child's advancing illness course and (2) explore relationships between different communication approaches and concordance of oncologist-parent prognostic understanding.
methodsIn this prospective, longitudinal, mixed-methods study, serial disease reevaluation conversations were audio recorded across an advancing illness course for children with cancer and their families. Surveys and interviews also were conducted with oncologists and caregivers at specific time points targeting disease progression.
resultsSeventeen children experienced advancing illness on study, resulting in 141 recordings (40 hours). Fewer than 4% of recorded dialogue constituted prognostic communication, with most codes (77%) occurring during discussions about frank disease progression. Most recordings at study entry contained little or no prognosis communication dialogue, and oncologists rated curability lower than parents across all dyads. Parent-oncologist discordance typically was preceded by conversations without incurability statements; ultimately, concordance was achieved in most cases after the oncologist made direct statements about incurability. Content analysis revealed 3 distinct patterns (absent, deferred, and seed planting) describing the provision of prognostic communication across an advancing pediatric cancer course.
conclusionsWhen oncologists provided direct statements about incurability, prognostic understanding appeared to improve. Further research is needed to determine optimal timing for prognostic disclosure in alignment with patient and family preferences.
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