Childhood cancer — a family crisis 1: the impact of diagnosis

There have been substantial improvements in both treatment and survival of childhood cancer in recent decades. However, the diagnosis of cancer in a child still poses a threat to the whole family unit. In this article, the first of a two-part series, the nature, purpose and functioning of the family are explored to suggest how families may perceive a cancer diagnosis in a child. Review of the literature indicates that the level of threat correlates with indicators such as overall family reaction, information and communication, position within the disease continuum, prognosis and the presence of metastatic disease. The second article in this series will discuss the nature of family coping strategies and consider the internal and external influences that prompt family members' responses to a diagnosis of childhood cancer.