Managing Conflicting Prognostic Communication Preferences in Pediatric Oncology

What strategies do patients with high-risk or advanced cancer, parents, and oncologists recommend when family members have differing preferences for prognostic communication in pediatric oncology?In this qualitative study of 85 interviews with patients, parents, and oncologists, participants recommended that clinicians (1) ask each person directly about communication preferences, (2) partner with families to create a communication plan supported by the care team, (3) offer opportunities for individual conversations, and (4) respect parents’ role in guiding disclosure to children.These findings suggest that proactive elicitation and ongoing alignment of preferences may help clinicians sustain therapeutic alliance while navigating discordant family communication needs.

Corresponding Author: Caroline Christianson, MD, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, NYU Langone Health, 160 E 32nd St, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016 (caroline.christianson@nyulangone.org).

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