How Did Adolescents With Cancer Experience the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Report From Italian Pediatric Hematology Oncology Association Centers

Purpose: This study set out to evaluate the psychosocial effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among adolescents with cancer, and whether these effects are significantly different among adolescents who were undergoing therapy or had completed it. Materials and Methods: The AIEOP Adolescents Working Group and the AIEOP Psychosocial Working Group adapted a questionnaire, which was completed by 214 adolescent cancer patients ( M age =16.3 y, range: 15 to 19 y old) treated at 16 AIEOP centers in the North (38%), South (31%), and Center (31%) of Italy. Results: The results highlighted that fear of the virus is equally distributed among adolescent cancer patients, with patients being particularly concerned about their parents and families. The adolescents reported that had no difficulty in following individual safety measures: they used personal protective equipment and they were attentive to their own health and adhering to the rules imposed by doctors and the wider community. There are very few, limited differences between adolescents undergoing treatment (active group) and those who have completed treatment (follow-up group). The reminder of their own therapy experience triggered by the use of personal protective equipment, and the more common refusal to follow some restrictions were the only 2 behaviors by which the follow-up group differed significantly from the adolescents in the active group. Conclusions: Adolescents with cancer seem to have coped well with the pandemic: although they were very afraid of the virus for themselves and their families, and had to limit their social contact, they did comply with the restrictions. Their experience of cancer probably also had a positive effect in cultivating adolescents who are more responsible and resilient in emergency situations such as the pandemic.