Symptom burden prevalent in childhood cancer survivors

Symptom burden is prevalent among young childhood cancer survivors, with caregiver anxiety and greater neighborhood deprivation associated with greater symptom burden, according to a study published online May 7 in JAMA Network Open.

Madeline R. Horan, Ph.D., from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and colleagues examined the prevalence of symptom burden among young childhood cancer survivors in a cross-sectional analysis. The study included 302 dyads of children aged 8 to 18 years who survived at least five years beyond diagnosis and their primary caregivers.

The researchers found that 62.0, 25.7, and 12.3 percent of the survivors had low, moderate, and high global cumulative symptom burden, respectively. There was an association between greater caregiver anxiety and moderate global symptom burden (risk ratio, 1.56).

Moderate global symptom burden was seen in association with greater neighborhood deprivation (risk ratio, 4.86). Survivors with greater meaning/purpose were less likely to have moderate and high global symptom burden. Similar patterns were displayed for the burden of individual symptoms.

Associations with lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were seen for low and moderate/high general pain (Cohen d, −0.60 and −0.98), moderate/high numbness (d, −0.99), and moderate/high worry (d, −0.55).

“Interventions targeting specific symptoms, family dynamics, and positive psychology to promote resilience, and offering resources to cope with challenging physical environments in their neighborhoods could alleviate symptom burden and enhance HRQOL for young, long-term cancer survivors,” the authors write.

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