Symptom science in pediatric oncology

Abstract

Children with cancer experience a myriad of symptoms, often occurring as symptom clusters. These symptoms are the result of the disease, its treatment, and associated procedures, can hinder the child’s psychosocial and physical development, and have negative effects on the child’s and family’s quality of life. Routine symptom assessment and the application of evidence-based symptom management strategies are needed to address this problem. This chapter will apply a personalized health framework to the review of symptom science in pediatric oncology. Specifically, this chapter provides an overview of the childhood cancer symptom literature and reviews the personalized health factors influencing the symptom experience in these young patients: biology and genetics, growth and development, behavior, family connection, and the social and treating environment. Implications for the translation of symptom assessment and management knowledge into nursing practice, as well as needed research in the area, are highlighted to direct future nursing efforts to mitigate symptoms in children with cancer.