352O - Parenting experiences of cancer patients with minor children and their conversations about the possibility of death: A cross-sectional web-based survey for the online cancer community

Background

Cancer patients with minor children experience distress in telling their children that they have cancer. The aim of this study is to share the parenting experiences of cancer patients with minor children and their conversations about the possibility of death.

Methods

This study is a sub-analysis of a cross-sectional web-based survey. Cancer patients with minor children were recruited from an online community and asked to complete a questionnaire about their experiences. Their responses were then evaluated on a 4-point Likert scale. This study reveals the proportion of patients disclosing their cancer to their children (“told group”), versus those not disclosing (“not-told group”), along with their experiences. Additionally, a t-test or chi-square test was used to analyze the association between telling their children about their cancer, and their experiences or conversations about the possibility of death.

Results

A total of 370 subjects were eligible [19% male, mean age (SD), 43.0 years (5.8)]. The most common primary cancer site was the breast (34%), followed by the colorectal region (12%), and gynecological organs (11%). Among the subjects, 274 (74%) told their children about having cancer. The “told group” were very keen on knowing how their children felt, compared to the “not-told group” (mean score, 3.1 vs 2.6, p < 0.001). Compared to the “told” group, the “not-told” group scored higher on “I did not want my minor children to see my suffering” (3.3 vs 3.0, p = 0.002) and “I had no idea how to explain the disease condition” (2.8 vs 2.1, p < 0.002). In response to the question on talking about the possibility of death, 7 % and 42% in the “not-told” and “told” groups, respectively, had told their children; 57% and 23% in the “not-told” and “told” groups, respectively, had never talked about the possibility of death; and 25% and 11.0% in the “not-told” and “told” groups, respectively, had never thought of the possibility of death (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The present study showed that 70% of cancer patients with minor children disclosed their cancer to their children. Additionally, sharing this information triggered the conversation about the possibility of their death.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

National Cancer Center.

Funding

Takeda Science Foundation.

Disclosure

K. Kosugi: Honoraria (self): Mundipharma. D. Fujisawa: Honoraria (self): Pfeizer; Honoraria (self): Mochida; Honoraria (self): Tanabe-Mitsubishi; Honoraria (self): Shionogi; Honoraria (self): Meiji Pharma; Honoraria (self): MSD. T. Kawaguchi: Honoraria (self): Chugai. K. Izumi: Full / Part-time employment, Employment: Medilead Inc. J. Takehana: Full / Part-time employment: Medilead Inc. Y. Matsumoto: Honoraria (self): Kyowa Kirin; Honoraria (self): Shionogi; Honoraria (self): Terumo; Honoraria (self): Meiji Seika Pharma; Honoraria (self): Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical; Honoraria (self): Eisai; Honoraria (self): Pfizer; Honoraria (self): AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self): Mundipharma; Honoraria (self): Daiichi-Sankyo. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.