Young Adults With Advanced Cancer Carry Unique Burden of Grief

A new study published in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology reveals that young adults who suffer from advanced cancer can go through a unique burden of grief due to life disruption and losses experienced.

Kelly Trevino, PhD, Paul Maciejewski, PhD, Karen Fasciano, PsyD, and Holly Prigerson, PhD found that beyond the obvious physical challenges cancer presents, this population is at risk for psychological and emotional suffering related to the many ways in which advanced cancer and its treatment may interfere with their educational and career goals, early romantic relationships, parenting responsibilities, and financial and personal independence.

"Patients are grieving not only the effects of their cancer, but also for the life stages and transitions they would normally be experiencing as a young adult, and this article raises the importance of clinical interventions to help these patients cope with the grief associated with cancer-related losses and life disruption," says Editor-in-Chief Leonard S. Sender, MD, University of California, Irvine and CHOC Children's Hospital.



Source: Eurekalert