Pediatric Oncology, Palliative Care and Low- or Middle- Income Countries: A Call for Action

• Published in: Global Pediatric Health Vol. 10; p. 2333794X231188591
• Main Authors: Siddiqui, Mohd Faizan, Nohra, Lea, Saleh, Mustafa, Thakkar, Keval, Trivedi, Rishika, Moujally, Sophie Nicolas, Deeb, Hadeel, Nicolas, Gregory, Emmanuel, Nancy
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2023; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Cancer therapies; Developing countries; Global health; Income; LDCs; Oncology; Palliative care; Pediatric Oncology; Pediatrics; Quality of life; global health; cancer; LMICs; pediatric oncology; palliative care; pediatric palliative oncology
• ISSN: 2333-794X; 2333-794X
• DOI: 10.1177/2333794X231188591

Pediatric oncology, which includes cancer screening and therapy in children, poses significant challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Palliative care improves children’s and their families’ quality of life. In LMICs, palliative care resources are scarce, resulting in poor symptom management, psychological support, and spiritual care. All relevant English-language articles on pediatric palliative oncology were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Medline databases using the following keywords: “Pediatric Oncology,” “Pediatric Palliative Oncology,” “Pediatric Palliative Care,” “Palliative Care,” “Child Cancer,” and “Lower- and Middle-Income Countries.” This study highlights the significance of incorporating palliative care early in therapy and the recommendations may improve the competence of information provided by medical professionals to patients and families. LMICs have the potential to improve overall treatment and outcomes for child cancer patients and their families by prioritizing the integration of palliative care, guaranteeing a compassionate and dignified attitude toward the disease.