A new study has shown that regular self-reported symptom screening can significantly reduce symptom burden for pediatric cancer patients, compared to standard care. The research, led by scientists from the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), was published today in JAMA.
The study involved 445 children aged 8 to 18, who were undergoing cancer treatment at 20 pediatric cancer centers across the U.S. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received regular symptom screening, while the other continued with usual care.
Children in the screening group were asked to report their symptoms three times a week for eight weeks. The symptoms tracked included emotional and physical issues such as sadness, worry, irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. At the end of the study, the screening group showed a meaningful reduction in symptom scores, with 12 out of the 15 symptoms measured showing significant improvement.
The researchers used the Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi), a validated tool developed by the study team, to measure symptoms. In addition, a web application called SPARK (Supportive Care Prioritization, Assessment, and Recommendations for Kids) was created to help patients track their symptoms and communicate with their healthcare providers.
Lillian Sung, the study’s lead researcher and a senior scientist at SickKids, emphasized the importance of patient-reported data in improving care. “Patient-reported data is crucial to improving overall care and providing better supportive care,” she said. “This study provides high-quality evidence that symptom screening helps control symptoms and improves quality of life for pediatric cancer patients.”
While the study showed positive results, there was an increase in emergency department visits among the screening group. The researchers believe this may be because families, seeing their child’s symptom scores, were more likely to seek additional medical attention. “This suggests that we can develop care pathways that empower families to make informed decisions about their child’s symptoms,” said Dupuis, a co-author of the study.
A related study, also published today in JAMA Pediatrics, explored the use of SSPedi in Canadian pediatric centers. This study found improvements in symptom scores after just five days of screening.
The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Institutes of Health. Early work on the SSPedi tool and the development of care pathways was supported by the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario.
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