Exploring holistic care needs in paediatric and teenage molecular radiotherapy: a parent and carer perspective.
In a prospective single-centre assessment involving 50 children and adolescents receiving their first molecular radiotherapy cycle, caregivers reported unmet psychosocial, financial, practical, and treatment-specific needs, particularly around travel, isolation, family separation, and limited support access.
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In a prospective single-centre assessment involving 50 children and adolescents receiving their first molecular radiotherapy cycle, caregivers reported unmet psychosocial, financial, practical, and treatment-specific needs, particularly around travel, isolation, family separation, and limited support access.
Research significance
The study provides observational evidence of recurring caregiver needs; it supports the inference that structured needs assessment, multidisciplinary coordination, virtual peer support, educational continuity, and integration of local services could reduce family burden, but these interventions and their effects on patient outcomes were not tested.
Source abstract
PURPOSE: Molecular radiotherapy (MRT) for children and young people presents unique challenges distinct from other cancer treatments. It requires specialised inpatient care in paediatric settings, strict radiation safety protocols, and is typically available only at selected centres, making access uneven across regions. Despite the complexity of this treatment, there is a notable lack of research into the holistic needs of parents and caregivers of paediatric patients undergoing MRT. Understanding and addressing these needs could help enhance future care, facilitate earlier interventions, and improve care planning for both patients and their families. METHODS: A prospective, systematic assessment of holistic needs was conducted for paediatric and adolescent patients undergoing their first cycle of MRT at a single tertiary referral centre between 2018 and 2022. The evaluation focused on physical, emotional, social, and practical concerns impacting the caregivers. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included in the study, treated with [131I]sodium iodide, [131I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG), or [177Lu]lutetium DOTATATE. The median patient age was 13 years. Thematic analysis identified several key areas of concern: limited access to psychosocial support services, financial burdens due to travel and time off work, and MRT-specific challenges including enforced isolation and separation from family members during treatment. CONCLUSION: Holistic needs assessments are vital in identifying and addressing unmet needs in MRT. A coordinated, family-centred, multidisciplinary approach is essential. Future improvements should include enhanced training for healthcare professionals, use of virtual peer support, support for education continuity, and better integration of local resources to support families throughout the treatment journey.