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Caring and curing: paediatric cancer services since 1960
1Centre for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, Simon Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. emm.barnes@man.ac.uk
Insights
The meaning of "cure" in pediatric oncology has evolved with improved survival rates and patient feedback. Holistic care, including psychosocial support for families, is now central to childhood cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical History
- Psychosocial Care
Background:
- The concept of 'cure' in pediatric oncology has historically shifted.
- Increasing survival rates and patient/family feedback have influenced its meaning.
- The UK's pediatric oncology discipline has seen significant organizational growth.
Observation:
- The language of 'cure' is understood and used differently by researchers, clinicians, and fundraisers.
- The term 'cure' for childhood cancer survivors remains a complex and sensitive topic.
- Holistic care, integrating psychosocial support, has become integral to pediatric oncology.
Findings:
- The evolution of 'cure' reflects advancements in treatment and a greater focus on the patient's overall well-being.
- Psychosocial support for the entire family is a key component of modern pediatric cancer care.
- The ideal of the 'truly cured child' drove the integration of psychosocial needs in the 1970s and 1980s.
Implications:
- Understanding the nuanced language of 'cure' is vital for effective communication in pediatric oncology.
- The integration of palliative care principles into curative treatment enhances patient and family support.
- Future research and practice should continue to prioritize a holistic approach to childhood cancer survivorship.
Abstract:
This paper traces the history of the specialist meanings of 'cure' in paediatric oncology in the UK, how they have changed with increasing organization of the discipline, ever-rising survival rates for all childhood cancers, and with feedback from patients and families. It examines the differing ways in which those involved in researching, treating, and raising funds for work on childhood cancers have understood and used the language of cure, and speculates as to why talking about the 'cure' of survivors of childhood cancers is so problematic. The paper discusses the particular importance of holistic care in the development of paediatric oncology. Psychosocial support is delivered alongside surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The focus for support is the patient's whole family, building a tenet of palliative care into curative treatment. The concept of the 'truly cured child' is argued to have been crucial in the discipline's decision in the 1970s and 1980s to make the psychosocial needs of patients and their families central in the programme of curing children with cancer.
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