Article

Symptom assessment in children receiving cancer therapy: the parents’ perspective

The Hospital for Sick Children Division of Haematology/Oncology 555 University Ave. Toronto ON M5G 1X8 Canada; The Hospital for Sick Children Department of Psychology 555 University Ave. Toronto ON M5G 1X8 Canada; The Hospital for Sick Children Child Health Evaluative Sciences—Research Institute 555 University Ave. Toronto ON M5G 1X8 Canada; University of Toronto Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy Toronto ON Canada; University of Toronto Public Health Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences Toronto ON Canada; University of Toronto Ontario Institute of Studies on Education Toronto ON Canada
Supportive Care Cancer (impact factor: 2.6). 04/2012; 18(3):281-299. DOI:10.1007/s00520-009-0651-1 pp.281-299

ABSTRACT Goals of workWe aimed to develop an instrument to assess cancer-treatment-related adverse effects that parents believe children find most
bothersome and use it to solicit the opinions of parents regarding this issue.

Materials and methodsParents of children 4 to 18years of age who had received intravenous antineoplastic therapy in the last month were asked
to rank prevalence, severity, and degree of bother of each symptom on behalf of their child using a questionnaire.

Main resultsOne hundred fifty-eight of 200 (82%) questionnaires were evaluable. The most prevalent symptoms identified were mood swings
(85%), fatigue (80%), and disappointment at missing activities with friends/peers (74%). These symptoms were also most commonly
identified as being significantly severe. Symptoms most commonly identified as the most bothersome were disappointment at
missing activities with friends/peers (50%) and feeling worried about receiving treatment, procedures, or side effects (43%).
Symptoms most commonly identified as the most severe and bothersome were disappointment at missing activities with friend/peers
(46%); feeling worried about receiving treatment, procedures, or side effects (40%); and painful, aching, or stiff bones,
joints, or muscles (36%).

ConclusionsThis information can be used when explaining the effects of cancer treatment to patients/families, creating policies regarding
pediatric cancer care and framing research hypotheses in pediatric supportive care.

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Keywords

bothersome
 
cancer treatment
 
cancer-treatment-related adverse effects
 
children
 
children 4
 
framing research hypotheses
 
friend/peers
 
Goals
 
intravenous antineoplastic therapy
 
painful
 
parents
 
pediatric cancer care
 
pediatric supportive care
 
prevalent symptoms
 
procedures
 
rank prevalence
 
severity
 
stiff bones
 
Symptoms
 
workWe