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Published on: January 18, 2018
Pain experience in children with advanced cancer
Lois Van Cleve1, Cynthia E Muñoz, Matt L Riggs
1Loma Linda University, CA, USA.
Summary
Children with advanced cancer consistently reported pain, yet nurses documented it less frequently. Pain management varied, with differences observed in children who died and ethnic disparities noted by nurses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Palliative Care
- Pain Management
Background:
- Understanding the pain experience in children with advanced cancer is crucial for healthcare professionals.
- Despite increased attention, systematic research on pediatric cancer pain remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pain symptoms and management strategies in children with advanced cancer.
- To compare child self-report data with nurse documentation of pain and its treatment.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, longitudinal study conducted over 5 months.
- Data collected from 62 English and Spanish-speaking children (ages 6-17) with advanced cancer.
- Included both child self-report and concurrent nurse documentation.
Main Results:
- Children reported pain in 56% of interviews, while nurses documented it only 23% of the time.
- Head pain was most frequent (31%), followed by abdominal, lower back, leg, and foot pain (20-30%).
- Children consistently reported higher pain intensity than nurses; opioid use correlated with nurse-perceived intensity (r=.72).
Conclusions:
- Significant discrepancies exist between child self-reported pain and nurse documentation.
- Pain management strategies differed between children who died and those who did not.
- Observed ethnic differences in pain identification and management by nurses warrant further investigation.
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