Health-related quality of life in pediatric oncology: current status and future challenges.

This article presents information regarding the current status of health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessment in pediatric oncology, including the substantial advances in our knowledge that have occurred during the past 10 years. Additionally, issues that continue to challenge researchers who are attempting to measure health-related quality of life in children from point of diagnosis to cure or to death are identified. It is posited that researchers must conduct investigations of the impact of health-related quality-of-life data on clinical care and outcomes for the field to continue to advance, and for these data to be valued by patients, families, and health care providers.