Introduction: Pain is the main symptom described in cancer patients. Objective: To assess pain classification and management in pediatric patients with primary bone cancer over time: admission, during treatment and follow-up, and to investigate factors associated with pain classification at the last assessment. Method: Retrospective cohort study of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma cases in individuals <19 years old treated at a single cancer referral site and followed up by a multidisciplinary team. The primary endpoint was pain score at the last assessment. Secondary outcome: evolution of pharmacological treatment. Results: 142 patients were included. The frequency of pain assessment increased during the study period from 53.5% at admission to 68.3% during treatment and 85.9% in follow-up. Of the patients who had pain assessed, 65.8% had pain at admission and 26.2% at the end of the study. There was an increase in the use of strong opioids and antidepressants. In the last evaluation, 56 patients (39.4%) were at the end-of-life and this was not associated with more pain (p=0.68). Meanwhile, those who had more pain used strong opioids (p=0.01) or steroids (p=0.03). Conclusion: Pain management during treatment resulted in increased use of strong opioids and antidepressants with pain reduction, revealing that pain control is possible. In the last assessment, end-of-life patients no longer had pain and patients with pain were the ones who used strong opioids and steroids at the most, showing the difficulty of pain control in some patients.
BACKGROUND: INCA estimated, for 2020 – 2022, Brazil would have 8,460 new pediatric cancer cases and 5% are bone cancer. Pain is the most prevalent symptom and is present in 75% - 90%. Advanced ill patients have 40% pain undertreated. OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate pain in pediatric bone cancer patients and investigate if there was a difference between those who survived and those at end-of-life. PROCEDURE: Patients were registered at INCA Pediatric Department, January 2011 – October 2016, with the diagnosis confirmed of primary bone cancer and under 19 years old. Pain was evaluated and registered at three moments during their treatment: at registration, three months after and the last visit before the end of this study or patients death, using pain scores. RESULTS: 157 patients were bone cancer, 15 (9.6%) had lost the follow up; 142 were analyzed, osteosarcoma 69.7% and Ewing sarcoma 30.3%, metastatic patients 50.7%. At the registration 53.5% had pain, 69.71% were receiving pain treatment and 42.25% had pain medications changed. Comparison of the three study moments was observed a decrease of pain status, with the absence of excruciating pain, and an increased use of opioids. There was no difference (p = 0.68) in pain status between groups of who survived and who died (39.4%). CONCLUSION: Pain management resulted in reduction of pain complaint and reduction in pain intensity, together with increasing opioid use. End-of-life patients did not have more pain than others, but disease progression was associated to more pain.
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