Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2026
A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
Assessment of suffering in Tunisian adolescents with sarcoma: A descriptive study
Amira Abbassi1, Hatem Laroussi2, Assma Ben Hassine2
1Doctor of Educational Sciences, Senior Professor Emeritus (Exceptional Class), Paramedical Education, Higher Institute of Nursing Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia.
Introduction:
Sarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumours that develop in bone or soft tissue. The different types include osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. These tumours predominantly affect children and youth aged 10 to 19. Sarcoma patients often experience multidimensional suffering encompassing physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects. The aim of this study was to explore the suffering of Tunisian adolescents with sarcoma treated at the Salah Azaiez Institute of Oncology in Tunis.
Methodology:
This descriptive quantitative study was conducted with 40 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years of age who were diagnosed with sarcoma and hospitalized at the Salah Azaiez Institute of Oncology. Two questionnaires were administered to participants once parental consent had been obtained: one sociodemographic questionnaire and the Adolescent Cancer Suffering Scale (ACSS), which had been translated into Arabic and validated.The ACSS comprises 41 items on a five-point Likert scale, plus one open-ended question. It evaluates six realms of suffering: physical, psychological, spiritual, social, cognitive, and global. The ACSS is used to explore adolescents' experience with their illness in a holistic manner, taking the multiple aspects of their suffering into account.
Results:
More than half of the study respondents (55%) expressed the need to have their family present while they were in the hospital. Sadness and occasional pain were reported by 40% of adolescents. The same proportion (40%) found being forced to miss school particularly difficult. More than one third (35%) reported concerns about their future, while one quarter (25%) said they were still trying to make sense of their illness and their health experiences.
Discussion And Conclusion:
The cancer journey is a particularly challenging one, especially for a growing adolescent. Sarcoma patients face significant disruption in their lives, spending more time in the hospital than at school. Given the sudden emergence of symptoms associated with the disease, the existential threat it represents and the uncertainty it brings about for the future, it is important to embrace an approach that incorporates practices in line with the specific needs of adolescents in order to provide them with optimal care.
