Cancer and EOL Flashcards
What is cancer?
Cells that grow out of control (develop abnormal sizes and shapes) and develop own blood supply
How does cancer cells affect other cells? Where do cancer cells usually metastasize in children?
Destroy other cells by being parasitic and stealing their nutrients and blood supply
Adrenals, liver, brain, bones and lungs
What are the most common cancers in children?
Brain (CNS tumors)
Leukemia
What is the cause of cancer?
Multifactorial with genetics and epigenetics
Epigenetics: Exposure to an environmental factor can trigger a genetic predisposition
What are things that can put you at risk for developing cancer?
Genetics
Radiation
Exposure to power lines
Cigarette smoke
Viruses (Epstein bar)
Certain chemical drugs
What underlying health disease can increase the risk for developing cancer?
Genetic predisposition: Down syndrome (15x greater risk for leukemia)
Immune deficiency: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, post transplant lymphoproliferative disease, chronic immunosuppression meds after organ transplant
Viral infection: Epstein-Barr liked to lymphoma and leukemia
What are the 3 layers that form embryonic tissue? What is embryonic tissue?
Endoderm, mesoderm. ectoderm
Source of stem cells
What is the endoderm?
Inner layer of embryonic disc
Forming lining of digestive tract and derivatives
What is the mesoderm?
Middle layer of embryonic disc
Forms tissues like muscles, bones, and blood vessels
What is the ectoderm?
Outer layer of embryonic disc
Forms skin and neuroectoderm
Why are these tissues associated with the embryonic disc at risk? What does this cause ?
They are very rapidly diving cells –? prime location for cell dysplasia and cancer cells to develop in the embryo
D/t this they are born with cancer and it is not regconized until it reaches a critical point such as a palpated mass or causing s/s
What is a cancer that occurs d/t embryonic tissue?
Solid tumor cancer
What is unique about the pediatric tumors?
Tend to occur in primitive or embryonic tissues
Characterized by rapid growth
Responsive to chemotherapy because cells are still rapidly diving as a kid
Likely to have metastasis at diagnosis
Rarely associated with exposure/lifestyle choices (more genetic predisposition)
What is unique about the adult tumors?
Occurs in developed tissues
Often more slowly growing
Frequently loss responsive to chemo
More common to have local/regional disease
Commonly associated with exposures/lifestyle
What are some cancers that are primitive/embryonal tissues?
Whilms tumor (kidney)
Neuroblastoma (adrenal gland)
Brain tumor
What is our first goal regarding treating children that have cancer?
Allows them to be kids first. Provide and promote a sense of normalcy
What are major fears in an infant and what stage?
Trust/sensorimotor
Separation
Strangers
What are interventions for infant stage? (6)
Provide consistent caretaker
Comfort hold
Play with child
Routine
Bed is safe space
Minimize separation from parents and caregivers
What are majors fears of toddlers and what stage are they in?
Loss of control
Strangers
Pain
Autonomy/preoperational
What are the interventions for the toddler stage? (5)
Choices when appropriate
Routines
Allow for regression but make sure to still set limits
Safe bed/zones such as room
Security objects/blankets/toys
How is loss of control typically expressed in to toddler?
Regression
What are major fears or preschoolers? What stage are they in?
Body injury
Mutilation
Darkness
Being left alone
Initiative/preoperational
How does magical thinking impact a preschoolers view on their illness?
Believe that their illness is a punishment for something they have done
What are interventions in the preschool stage? (5)
Provide simple, concrete explanations
Avoid trigger words
Advance preparations - all equipment ready to go
Post procedures band aids and wraps to make them know their body is put back together and help with fear of body mutilation
Use pictures, models, and medical play
Expressive play
What are major fears of school age? What stage are they in?
Loss of control
Stalling - avoid pain
Afraid to disappoint others or show fear
Industry/concrete operational
What are interventions for the school age stage? (8)
Provide concrete choices to increase sense of control
Give them an age appropriate task to help them feel accomplished
Use pictures and models for explanations
Simple and honest answers (no lying even about death)
First/then statements
Allow child to express fears/emotions
Play and school support
Allow them to ask questions
What are major fears of an adolescent? What stage are they in?
Loss of privacy
Altered body image
Death
Separation form peers/FOMO
Intimacy/identity and formal operations
What interventions can be used in the adolescent stage? (7)
Allow them to be integral decision maker
Give information sensitively and privately
Allows as many choices and control as possible
Give them all the information about treatment, risk/benefits/consequences
Engage with peers as much as possible
Peer groups: journaling, memorializing, planning funeral
Allow them to talk about death
What is the concept about death in early childhood?
No concept
React to emotions but do not know what death is
Can sense when something is sad or if parents are sad/worried
Might be able to say death but doesn’t know what it means
What is the concept about death in school age?
Begin to appreciate death
Develops concept that death is permanent
Knows that they will not see the person that died ever again
OK to use work dead
What is the concept about death in adolescents?
Know death is permanent
Explore spirituality/religous beliefs (especially if facing their own death)
Depression (sometimes will hide these for the family)
Protective of family emotions - more honest with others about their fears b/c don’t want to upset/scare family
Which age groups have a more egocentric view on death? What does this mean?
Older school and adolescence
Worried about how their family will carry on without them once they are gone
More worried about those around them