Perspectives of parents on making decisions about the care and treatment of a child with cancer: a review of literature.

This review focuses on parental decision making regarding the care and treatment of children with cancer. Articles were abstracted from the following sources: Ovid Databases (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Review of Effects, Medline, and Social Work Abstracts) and EBSCOhost (Academic Search Premier and Academic Search Complete) using smart text. The criteria for the search were publications between 2005 and 2012 and publication in peer-review journals. The descriptors used were parents of children with cancer, decision making, decisions about childhood cancer, and parents. The search yielded 59 references, but after duplicates, as well as dated and irrelevant articles were removed, 17 articles were identified that focused specifically on the decisions parents make regarding the care and treatment of children with cancer. Coders agreed that the child's quality of life/well-being, parental hope/expectations, support/supportive care, communication, and information were important themes in considering the decisions parents made regarding the care and treatment of children with cancer. These themes provide insight into the needs of parents in making decisions about the care and treatment of children with cancer.