Pain in survivors of paediatric haemaotological malignancies
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pain experience and somatosensory function in survivors of paediatric haemaotological malignancies: A cross-sectional cohort study in late adolescence
IRAS ID
241655
Contact name
Suellen Walker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Is pain or sensory nerve function altered in young people previously treated for childhood blood cell cancers?\n\nSurvival from childhood cancer has increased but long-term negative effects on health are increasingly recognised. Cancer treatments, or the disease itself, can damage the body’s sensory nerves. This can result in changes in touch and temperature sensitivity (known as chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy or CIPN), and in “nerve-pain” (known as neuropathic pain, which is often severe and can be difficult to treat). Large surveys suggest that many survivors have long-term pain but this has not been studied in detail. We need more information about the proportion of childhood cancer survivors with altered sensory function or pain, the type and severity of these, and how much these affect emotions and activities.\n\nWe will study 15-18 year olds attending the Paediatric Haematology/Bone Marrow Transplant Late Effects Clinic at Great Ormond Street Hospital who have previously had bone marrow and blood cell cancers such as leukaemia. Young people and parents who agree to join the study will be asked to complete questionnaires, and we will use specialised non-painful sensory tests to measure changes in sensory nerve function. This will require a single session, either after their clinic appointment or at another suitable time.\n\nThis will enable us to identify how many of these survivors have:\n•\tsensory changes;\n•\tneuropathic or other types of persistent pain; \n•\taltered quality of life, and anxiety or thoughts that influence pain experience.\n\nWe will also determine whether a questionnaire helps identify young people with neuropathic pain. The results will help identify specialised tests and questionnaires which could become part of routine evaluation to look for changes at earlier stages, so that the most appropriate treatments can be started as soon as possible.\n\nFunding: Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0533
Date of REC Opinion
3 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion