Abstract
BackgroundThe survival rate of childhood cancer patients increased over the past decades. However, even after successful treatment the transition back to normalcy is often a major challenge for the whole family. Therefore, this study aims to provide an overview of psychosocial interventions for childhood cancer survivors and their families in the first years after the end of cancer treatment.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA Checklist (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; PROSPERO registration number: CRD42017059782). In November 2016 and September 2017, we searched the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, PSYNDEX, and Web of Science. We included studies investigating psychosocial interventions for childhood cancer survivors diagnosed under the age of 21, their family members or the family as a whole. Further, we summarized the study characteristics and conducted a narrative synthesis of the results. Finally, we assessed the study quality with the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool.ResultsWe identified a total of 8215 records based on our database searches and 17 additional records through hand searches. We included 33 articles in the qualitative synthesis. Most of the studies described interventions for the cancer survivor (n = 15). Nine studies investigated interventions for the whole family, and two studies interventions for siblings. The interventions mainly take place in an outpatient group setting (n = 15). Overall, most of the studies reported a significant psychosocial benefit of the interventions. However, the quality of the included studies was limited.ConclusionIn summary, we identified a broad range of different interventions and thus could give a comprehensive overview of existing interventions for childhood cancer survivors and their families. However, there is a necessity for high quality studies. The results may help to optimize health care services that support families with the re-entry into daily life.
Highlights
A childhood cancer diagnosis turns the lives of patients and family members upside-down
The five-year survival rate for childhood cancer in developed countries increased from 65% in the 1980s to approximately 80% nowadays [1], which leads to a growing population of childhood cancer survivors
We investigate interventions for childhood cancer survivors and their family members with a narrower focus in terms of type of intervention, diagnoses, time since cancer treatment, and age of the survivor
Summary
A childhood cancer diagnosis turns the lives of patients and family members upside-down. The five-year survival rate for childhood cancer in developed countries increased from 65% in the 1980s to approximately 80% nowadays [1], which leads to a growing population of childhood cancer survivors. The psychological well-being of cancer patients seems to increase after diagnosis [4,5,6]. Pediatric cancer survivors are at risk for developing stress-related mental disorders and are highly distressed [7,8,9]. Even more than seven years after diagnosis, a relevant proportion of adult survivors of childhood cancer report clinically relevant psychological distress symptoms whereof some fulfil diagnostic criteria of a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [10]. The survival rate of childhood cancer patients increased over the past decades. This study aims to provide an overview of psychosocial interventions for childhood cancer survivors and their families in the first years after the end of cancer treatment
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