Oncology Nurse Advisor (2/12, Garlapow) reports a systematic review of 30 studies found that “alienation is a profound and multidimensional consequence of childhood and adolescent cancer that warrants clinical recognition alongside physical morbidity.” The review included data “derived from 980 respondents aged 1 to 29 years and encompassed diverse cancer types, most commonly leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system tumors, sarcoma, and other solid tumors.” The meta-aggregation yielded 4 synthesized findings and 13 categories: environmental alienation, self-alienation, interpersonal alienation, and social alienation. Researchers concluded that pediatric healthcare professionals “should adopt a person-centered approach that values the ‘voices’ of children and adolescents, supports the rebuilding of social connections and the continuity of identity, and promotes meaningful societal participation during and beyond cancer treatment.” The review was published in the Journal of Adolescence.
Related Links:
— “Addressing Alienation Can Improve Psychosocial Outcomes in Pediatric Cancer,”Megan Garlapow, PhD, Oncology Nurse Advisor, February 12, 2026