Subjective Toxicity Profiles of Children in Treatment for Cancer: A New Guide to Supportive Care?

Context: Children and adolescents with cancer experience treatment-related, subjective adverse events (AEs). Identifying distinct groups of patients who predictably experience higher prevalence of AEs could guide patient care.

Objectives: Study aims were to 1) identify groups of children and adolescents reporting AEs using the Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (Ped-PRO-CTCAE); 2) determine whether demographic and clinical characteristics predict AE group membership; and 3) examine whether AE group membership was related to the distal outcome of psychological stress.

Methods: Four hundred seventy-seven patients self-reported AEs via the Ped-PRO-CTCAE at T1 (beginning of treatment) and the PROMIS Pediatric Psychological Stress measure at T2 (7-28 days later). Latent class analysis was conducted to identify groups of patients and the relationships of the groups with demographic and clinical characteristics, and with stress.

Results: Three distinct a priori unknown AE groups were identified (high AE prevalence, moderate AE prevalence, and low AE prevalence). Females, blacks, patients with high psychological stress, and patients more recently diagnosed were more likely to be in the high AE prevalence group. Gender, age, race, and time since diagnosis were associated with psychological stress.

Conclusion: Children with cancer are heterogeneous in experiencing subjective AEs. Gender, race, and time since diagnosis were significantly associated with higher subjective AE prevalence that may lead to psychological stress.