PhD Student Devin Check is lead author on the paper.
Findings from a pilot study of 42 parents with advanced cancer indicate that parental status is an important factor in treatment decision-making. When asked how having children influences their treatment decisions, the majority of parents (64%) responded that being a parent motivates them to pursue life-extending treatments, largely out of a desire to have more time with their children. A smaller proportion of parents (15%) identified preserving parental functioning as a treatment priority, and 12% mentioned the importance of receiving treatment close to their families, vs traveling for a second opinion, or pursuing treatment that may require long hospital stays. Parenting concerns identified in this study will inform further research in this understudied patient population. The study findings were reported at the 2014 ASCO Quality Care Symposium(Abstract 65).
“Numerous psychosocial factors influence patients’ decisions about cancer treatment. It’s important for patients with dependent children to discuss their treatment priorities with their oncologist, who may not know, for example, how important it is for a patient with children to preserve their functioning at home,” said lead author Devon Check, a PhD student at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. “We hope that our study can help oncologists engage patients with children in shared decision-making and promote alignment of the treatment plan with the patients’ priorities, including family responsibilities.”