A review of symptom screening tools in pediatric cancer patients.

Abstract

Children receiving chemotherapy experience a high burden of symptoms. The purposes of this review were to identify symptom assessment tools used in pediatric cancer patients published in the last year; describe the characteristics of the identified tools; and evaluate their appropriateness for symptom screening and to alter patient management. We identified six different symptom screening or assessment tools used across 10 studies in the past year. Four instruments contained 30 or more items. Patient management was not altered on the basis of identified symptoms in any of these studies. Symptom assessment in pediatric oncology continues to be an active area of study but the available instruments are not yet used to guide symptom management. Future research should focus on implementing active and ongoing symptom screening into clinical practice and determining if active symptom screening improves patient outcomes. Electronic symptom screening tools may improve the feasibility of incorporating symptom screening tools into routine practice.