Abstract
Approximately 300 children, from 0 to 18 years old, are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden every year. Of these children, 80–90 of them undergo radiotherapy treatment for their cancer. Although radiotherapy is an encounter with advanced technology, few studies have investigated the child’s and the parent’s view of the procedure. As part of an ongoing multicenter study aimed to improve patient preparation and the care environment in pediatric radiotherapy, this article reports the findings from interviews with parents at baseline. The aim of the present study was twofold: to describe parents’ experience when their child undergoes radiotherapy treatment, and to report parents’ suggestions for improvements during radiotherapy for their children. Sixteen mothers and sixteen fathers of children between 2–16 years old with various cancer diagnoses were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings showed that cancer and treatment turns people’s lives upside down, affecting the entire family. Further, the parents experience the child’s suffering and must cope with intense feelings. Radiotherapy treatment includes preparation by skilled and empathetic staff. The parents gradually find that they can deal with the process; and lastly, parents have suggestions for improvements during the radiotherapy treatment. An overarching theme emerged: that despair gradually turns to a sense of security, with a sustained focus on and close interaction with the child. In conclusion, an extreme burden was experienced around the start of radiotherapy, though parents gradually coped with the process.
Highlights
Every year, approximately 300 children between 0–18 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden [1]
According to data from the Swedish quality assurance registry for pediatric radiotherapy (RADTOX), 80–90 children were treated with radiotherapy each year during 2008–2013
Children undergoing cancer treatment often experience pain, fear and worry due to the disease, treatment-related pain, and side-effects of drugs [2]. They experience stressors related to cancer treatment and side-effects, including pain, hair loss and blood tests, and they have to endure invasive and strenuous treatments [3]
Summary
Approximately 300 children between 0–18 are diagnosed with cancer in Sweden [1] Depending on their diagnosis, treatment may include chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, or some combination of these. Parents of children diagnosed with cancer have described the impact of diagnosis and treatment as devastating and associated with feelings of shock, upset, anger and stress. They express sorrow, anxiety and feelings of uncertainty about their child’s prognosis [4,5,6]. Parents struggle to view treatment with optimism and hope, while the question of their child’s survival is ever-present They fear the death of their child [4, 5]
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