Cancer in children: the diagnostic itinerary

This study aims to describe the trajectory children and adolescents experience from the beginning of cancer signs and symptoms until the confirmation of the diagnosis, based on their parents' report. A total of eight mothers and two fathers participated in the study. Data were collected through semi structured interviews, and data were subject to qualitative analysis. We found that this period is significant for parents, who are capable of recognizing that something wrong started to happen to their children, expressed through signs and symptoms. They precisely reported the chronological time of this trajectory. The challenges they mentioned refer to the different diagnostic hypotheses, the difficulty to performing specific diagnostic exams and to be referred to specialized care services. This search for health service care revealed to be a difficult journey, which permits to identify that the Brazilian Basic Health System's principles of accessibility and problem-solving capacity are jeopardized.