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Symptom Science in Pediatric Oncology
Sue Zupanec1, Kathleen E Montgomery2, Pamela S Hinds3
1The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Seminars in Oncology Nursing
|June 20, 2025
Summary
Pediatric oncology symptom science has evolved to include standardized patient, caregiver, and clinician-reported outcomes. Integrating these perspectives is crucial for advancing research and clinical care in pediatric cancer symptom management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology Symptom Science
- Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs)
- Caregiver-Reported Outcomes (CROs)
Background:
- Symptom science in pediatric oncology has progressed from single symptom measurement to standardized reporting.
- Theoretical guidance, advanced analytics, and clinical integration are key components of this evolution.
- Developmental considerations are integral to understanding symptom experiences in pediatric cancer patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the historical evolution of symptom science in pediatric oncology.
- To examine the integration of patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes in clinical trials.
- To highlight the role of advanced analytics and clinical practice integration.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of historical and current peer-reviewed literature was conducted.
- Original research reports, reviews, and clinical practice guidelines were analyzed.
- Findings were extracted to synthesize the evolution of symptom science.
Main Results:
- Standardized patient, caregiver, and clinician-reported outcomes are now part of select pediatric oncology clinical trials.
- Despite potential discordance, patients, caregivers, and clinicians are willing to report symptoms and toxicities.
- Advanced analytics identified patient subgroups with distinct symptom experiences, enabling tailored management.
Conclusions:
- Integrating patient, family caregiver, and clinician perspectives is essential for accurate symptom measurement and management.
- Standardizing these reports will drive advances in both pediatric oncology research and clinical care.
- Standardized integration of these three perspectives into nursing practice represents the next milestone for symptom science.
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