How I Approach Anxiety in Children and Teens With Cancer

There is a reported prevalence rate of anxiety in children and teens with cancer of approximately 14%, and many interdisciplinary pediatric oncology team members encounter anxiety during clinical interactions with patients. Anxiety in some children and teens with cancer can interfere with medical care and quality of life; for others, it may be more subtle and influence how they act and interact. This paper serves as a "how-to" guide for interdisciplinary pediatric hematology/oncology team members to use when identifying, assessing for, and intervening upon anxiety that can present in a number of ways in the oncology setting.