Palliative care in the home: a case study of secondary histiocytic sarcoma in a 3-year-old child

Abstract

This article describes the medical, psychological, and social challenges encountered during home-based, family-centred palliative care of a 3-year-old female with secondary histiocytic sarcoma diagnosed during treatment for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Histiocytic sarcoma is an exceedingly rare cancer in adults, but even less frequent and highly aggressive when presenting as a secondary cancer in children. Comprehensive, multidisciplinary paediatric hospice care services are not widely available across Slovakia,thus limiting the number of patients and families offered such highly specialized end-of-life care. This case study illustrates the primary benefits for the child and family of such a program as well as the impact on the medical and nursing professionals working in the fi eld of paediatric haematology-oncology.