Journal of Pediatric Psychology vol. 30 no. 1 © Society of Pediatric Psychology 2005; all rights reserved.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Surviving Pediatric Cancer: Research Gains and Goals
This manuscript was managed by Ronald T. Brown, Editor.
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Nearly every review of the research literature in pediatric oncology describes the significant progress of medical treatment over the past 30 years resulting in the increased survival rate for children and adolescents with cancer. Concurrent with these medical advances, a vast amount of research has emerged in an area that has come to be known as "pediatric psycho-oncology." From these studies we have learned a great deal about the neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and their families. The field has progressed from strictly descriptive studies of adjustment to more explanatory research and to development of interventions to improve functioning. It is an apt time for an overview of the progress made, the current state of the science, and the perspectives on future directions. We believe that such a review can offer lessons that will benefit not only the researchers who work in pediatric