To explore these adults′ perspective with filial piety and as well to elucidate adults′experience and filial caring behaviour whose parents were diagnosed as advanced cancer.

This is a qualitative study. A semi-structured and individual in-depth interview guide was designed and utilised to explore perspectives of 15 adults whose parents were diagnosed as advanced cancer. Thematic analysis method was adopted to analyse the data, which were synthesised into themes and subthemes.

Three main themes were explicated: emotional experience, filial caring behaviours for parents and dilemmas and pressures. These adults adopted obedience, accompany, improving quality of life, completing parents’ wish to fulfil their commitment and filial piety during taking care of their cancer parents. However, they encountered ethical dilemmas regarding disclosure or non-disclosure cancer diagnosis to their parents.

Due to the profound influence of Chinese traditional culture, the adults whose parents were diagnosed as advanced cancer committed their filial caring behaviour to their parents very wholeheartedly and encountered difficulties and dilemmas. Therefore, oncology nurses are advised to share their love to cancer patients, to work with compassion and sympathy and support them by assisting with taking care of their patients, which in turn may facilitate their filial caring behaviours, decrease their pressure and negative emotions.

Neoplasm; Advanced stage; Children; Filial piety; Qualitative study