Palliative care in pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies

Children with advanced cancer, including those with hematologic malignancies, can benefit from interdisciplinary palliative care services. Palliative care includes management of distressing symptoms, attention to psychosocial and spiritual needs, and assistance with navigating complex medical decisions with the ultimate goal of maximizing the quality-of-life of the child and family. Palliative care is distinct from hospice care and can assist with the care of patients throughout the cancer continuum, irrespective of prognosis. While key healthcare organizations, including the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Society of Clinical Oncology among many others endorse palliative care for children with advanced illness, barriers to integration of palliative care into cancer care still exist. Providing assistance with advance care planning, guiding patients and families through prognostic uncertainty, and managing transitions of care are also included in goals of palliative care involvement. For patients with advanced malignancy, legislation, included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act allows patients and families more options as they make the difficult transition from disease directed therapy to care focused on comfort and quality-of-life.