Pain and emotional status in pediatric oncology: Evaluation and insights: Pain and emotional status in pediatric oncology

Belen Ateş; Eren Güzeloğlu; Büşra Nükhet Pehlivanoğlu; Nimet Pınar Yılmazbaş; Hilal Susam Şen

doi:10.5281/zenodo.15858826

Authors

Belen Ateş University of Health Sciences, Prof Dr Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-8764
Eren Güzeloğlu University of Health Sciences, Prof Dr Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4316-2491
Büşra Nükhet Pehlivanoğlu University of Health Sciences, Prof Dr Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9077-8833
Nimet Pınar Yılmazbaş University of Health Sciences, Prof Dr Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1283-1712
Hilal Susam Şen Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Oncology, Ankara, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1329-1287

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15858826

Keywords:

Child, depression, malignancy, oncology, pain

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the depression status of pediatric cases diagnosed with cancer and to investigate the possible relationship between depression and pain levels.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted at Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital and included a total of 79 participants. The patient group consisted of 49 pediatric oncology patients diagnosed with malignancy and were under regular follow-up at the Pediatric Oncology Clinic. The control group comprised 30 age- and sex-matched healthy children without any chronic diseases recruited from pediatric outpatient clinics. Demographic and clinical data of the patients, including age, sex, diagnosis, stage of the disease, age at the time of diagnosis, number of hospitalizations, and length of hospital stay, were recorded. The emotional states of the patients were evaluated using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), and the pain levels were evaluated using the Wong Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS).

Results: There was no significant difference in the sex distribution and mean age between the groups (p>0.05). Of the patients, 3 had Stage I disease, 14 had Stage 2 disease, 23 had Stage 3 disease, and nine had Stage 4 disease. The most common type of malignancy was a bone tumor in 14 patients. The rate of depression was 14.2% in the patient group, which was not statistically significant (p=0.312). However, the pain score of the patients was statistically significantly higher than that of the control group (p=0.001). There was a positive and moderate correlation between the CDI and pain scores of the patients (r=0.550; p=0.001). These findings suggest the importance of routine assessment and targeted management of pain symptoms in pediatric oncology patients, as unmanaged pain may be associated with increased psychological distress.

Conclusion: In this study, pediatric oncology patients demonstrated significantly higher pain scores compared to the healthy control group, as well as a moderate positive correlation between pain intensity and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that implementing effective pain management strategies could potentially alleviate depressive symptoms in pediatric cancer patients. Although increasing survival rates in pediatric oncology represent a major advancement, it is equally important to address the challenges associated with comorbid conditions that frequently arise during cancer treatment. A multidisciplinary approach, including pain management, mental health support, and long-term care strategies, essential to promote the overall well-being and quality of life of pediatric oncology patients following treatment.

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