Journal of Clinical Pediatrics ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (5): 389-394.doi: 10.12372/jcp.2025.24e1337

• Literature Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress on application of palliative care in pediatric patients with cancer

LIU Fuhui1, LIU Fuze2, LYU Zufang3()   

  1. 1. School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medicine University, Weifang 261000, Shangdong, China
    2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
    3. Department of First Pediatric Medicine, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang 261041, Shandong, China
  • Received:2024-12-12 Accepted:2024-12-26 Published:2025-05-15 Online:2025-05-09

Abstract:

Palliative care, as an effective method to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families, is still in the ice-breaking stage among children and adolescent patients in China. Currently, the percentage of pediatric and adolescent patients receiving palliative care remains low. There is still a lack of effective integration of previous research applications on end-of-life care methods for children with malignant tumors in children. Clear intervention standards are yet to be established, or unified guidelines for palliative care corresponding to children at different stages of disease progression. This article meticulously and comprehensively outlines the origins and evolution of palliative medicine within pediatrics, exploring how palliative care enhances the quality of life for pediatric oncology patients, streamlines communication and decision-making processes, and diminishes hospitalization expenses, as well as briefly outlining the barriers to the practical implementation of palliative care in children with oncology. This paper can provide some reference for the development and implementation of palliative care in China, and provide a reference for the in-depth implementation of palliative care for children with cancer.

Key words: palliative care, hospice care, cancer, malignant tumors, child