Literature review of the emotions of the family involved in decision-making for elderly cancer patients during cancer treatment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify from the literature the emotions of family involved in decision-making for elderly cancer patients during cancer treatment. We searched the website of the Japan Medical Abstracts Society (Ver.5) using the keywords ‘elderly,’ ‘cancer,’ ‘family,’ and ‘decision-making,’ and selected 13 articles that suited the purpose of this study. The analysis was conducted using a qualitative and inductive method, in accordance with the method reported by Berelson, B., and the following 5 categories were extracted: [Wanting to make the best choice also for the family, while respecting the patient's will], [Feeling the burden of making important decisions while being in uncertain circumstances], [Wanting to consider the mental burden imposed on the elderly patient when he/she is notified of the cancer diagnosis], [Wanting the patient to receive the best available treatment so that he/she can live for as long as possible] and [Wanting to support the patient to live in a setting of palliative care in a facility with a sense of security]. Elderly cancer patients make decisions based on their values and beliefs. Therefore, it is necessary to improve communication skills within the family. It is also important to be involved, so that changes in daily life due to medical treatment and palliative care can be understood.