Evaluation of the Attitude of Parents in Pediatric Oncology Towards COVID-19 Vaccine.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus (SARS, COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization since March 2020. Patients with active cancer should be considered especially for priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, our study aimed to learn parents' opinions of cancer-diagnosed patients about the COVID-19 vaccine. Between December 2021 and January 2022, 76 people were willing to answer the questionnaire from the parents of outpatient/inpatient patients at the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic of Dr. Sami Ulus Obstetrics, Child Health and Diseases Education Research Hospital were included. In our study, 18 parents (23.7%) did not get vaccinated. Among the reasons for not getting vaccinated, the most common answer for "I fear from the vaccine's side effects.", "Do you think oncology patients are at risk for COVID-19?", "Do you think the COVID-19 pandemic affects cancer treatment?" were 90.7%, 89.5% and 21% yes, respectively. Would your opinion of the vaccine be positive if the domestic vaccine was produced?"-67.4% answered yes. Vaccine hesitation and public misinformation put cancer patients at risk. Increasing awareness of the rejection of COVID-19 vaccines is important for public health and the fight against the pandemic. In addition, the doctors' recommendations for conducting oncology treatment will significantly impact parents' compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Cross-sectional study: long term follow-up care for pediatric cancer survivors in a developing country, Turkey: current status, challenges, and future perspectives

Aim: The main purpose of this study is to determine the current status of long-term follow-up (LTFU) for childhood cancer survivors and the challenges of LTFU for pediatric cancer survivors at pediatric oncology institutions in Turkey. Material and methods: A questionnaire was e-mailed to the directors of 33 pediatric oncology centers (POCs) registered in the Turkish Pediatric Oncology Group (TPOG). Of these 33 active TPOG institutions, 21 participated in the study and returned their completed questionnaires. Results: Only 1 of the 21 participating centers had a separate LTFU clinic. The remaining centers provided LTFU care for childhood cancer survivors at the pediatric oncology outpatient clinic. Of these centers, 17 (80.9%) reported difficulty in transition from the pediatric clinic to the adult clinic, 14 (66.6%) reported insufficient care providers, and 12 (57.1%) reported insufficient time and transportation problems. As neglected late effects, 16 (76.1%) centers reported psychosocial and getty job problems and 11 (52.3%) reported sexual and cognitive problems. None of the centers had their own LTFU guidelines for their daily LTFU practice Conclusion: This study was the first to gain an overview of the needs of POCs and the gaps in survivorship services in Turkey. The results from this study will help to develop a national health care system and national guidelines for pediatric cancer survivors.