Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39472335›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024

Exploring treatment decision-making at diagnosis for children with advanced cancer in low- and middle-income countries.

Marta Salek, Amy S Porter, Essy Maradiege, Mae Concepcion J Dolendo, Diego Figueredo, Fadhil Geriga, Sanjeeva Gunasekera, Roman Kizyma, Hoa Thi Kim Nguyen, Irene Nzamu and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Marta SalekSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mail Stop 721, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA. marta.salek@stjude.org.
Amy S PorterMass General for Children, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Essy MaradiegeInstituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Lima, Peru.
Mae Concepcion J DolendoSouthern Philippines Medical Center, Children's Cancer Institute, Davao City, Philippines.
Diego FigueredoHospital de Clinicas, National University of Asunción, Asuncion, Paraguay.
Fadhil GerigaUganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Sanjeeva GunasekeraNational Cancer Institute, Maharagama, Sri Lanka.
Roman KizymaClinical Center of Children's Healthcare, Lviv, Ukraine.
Hoa Thi Kim NguyenHue Central Hospital, Hue, Vietnam.
Irene NzamuKenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
Muhammad Rafie RazaIndus Hospital & Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan.
Khilola RustamovaNational Children's Medical Center, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Nur Melani SariDr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.
Carlos Rodriguez-GalindoSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mail Stop 721, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
Dylan GraetzSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mail Stop 721, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
Nickhill BhaktaSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mail Stop 721, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
Erica C KayeSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Mail Stop 721, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
CATALYST Advisory Group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeGlobal childhood cancer survival outcomes correlate with regional contextual factors, yet upfront treatment decision-making for children with advanced or poor prognosis cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is not well understood. This study aimed to (1) characterize the landscape of contextual factors that shape physician decision-making at diagnosis for these children in LMICs and (2) describe physician rationales for if/when to offer treatment with non-curative intent, including how they define "poor prognosis" during treatment decision-making.

methodsAn international panel of pediatric oncologists practicing in LMICs participated in two focus groups structured for the collaborative generation of factors influencing treatment decision-making, including consideration of non-curative treatment pathways at diagnosis. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was conducted, followed by member checking.

resultsEleven pediatric oncologists participated, representing all global regions defined by the World Health Organization. Participants identified a broad range of factors influencing decision-making across multiple levels, including the individual, hospital, health system, community, and country levels. All participants agreed that treatment with non-curative intent could be offered at diagnosis in certain contexts, and diverse definitions for poor prognosis were described.

conclusionsUpfront treatment decision-making for children with advanced or poor prognosis cancer in LMICs is variable and challenging. Difficulties with decision-making in LMICs may be amplified by inconsistent definitions of poor prognosis and underrepresentation of the factors that influence treatment decision-making within existing decision-making frameworks or childhood cancer treatment guidelines. Future research should explore decision-making approaches, preferences, and challenges in depth from the perspectives of pediatric cancer patients, families, and multidisciplinary clinicians.

Indexed as

Clinical Decision-MakingDeveloping CountriesFocus GroupsNeoplasmsChildDecision MakingFemaleHumansMaleOncologistsPrognosisQualitative ResearchDecision-makingGlobal healthLow- and middle-income countriesPediatric cancerPoor prognosis

Identifiers

PMID39472335
PMCPMC11522104

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.