Palliative Care for Children with Advanced Cancer

This chapter on palliative care for children with advanced cancer addresses the challenges of decision making and the care of the child and family. It explores decision making with regards to ongoing treatment, advance-care planning, and the importance of establishing goals of care. The nature and management of common physical and psychological symptoms are examined, in particular pain and the use of opioids and neuropathic adjuvants. Cancer-directed therapies, specific symptom management, and steroids are discussed. The chapter also includes specific issues around the care of the child and family at the end of life, such as feeding, spiritual distress, and ongoing bereavement care. This chapter is aimed at professionals in the multidisciplinary team caring for children in this context.