Mental disorders in children diagnosed with cancer
Marta Kuty-Pachecka, Katarzyna Stefańska

Cancer treatment is a complex and long-lasting process, whose outcomes can be anything from recovery, relapse and death. A child’s cancer diagnosis and treatment plan requires psychological adjustment and an understanding of the short- and long-term impact it has on children. Psychological distress is common in cancer patients. Side effects from chemotherapy or radiation therapy, biopsy procedure are a source of cancer pain. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy carries the risk to cause cognitive dysfunction. Many cancer patients experience a loss of short-term memory; have difficulty concentrating as well as sensory and motoric dysfunction. A cancer diagnosis and treatment may cause negative emotions, fear and aggression. There is no doubt that the therapeutic process is a big challenge for patients. Children with cancer have difficulty coping with this fact, which can lead to several forms of mental disorders. The most common mental disorders in cancer patient are states of depression and anxiety. A frequently observed phenomenon is the occurrence of neurotic symptoms in children, such as biting of fingers, involuntary soaking, picking his mouth and inhibition of movement. There is some research into cancer also being a suicidal risk factor. Therapy can cause the risk of developing disorders of consciousness. In this article, I would like to make some brief recommendations about cancer therapy methods, that I would see as a part of a contemporary treatment program.