Pain Management in Childhood Leukemia: Diagnosis and Available Analgesic Treatments

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, accounts for about 30 percent of all cancers that affect children and young adults. Although pain is a common and distressing symptom of childhood leukemia, evidence-based guidance regarding assessment and management is lacking. With 6 international multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, we aimed to review current evidence in literature, addressing diagnosis, assessment and pharmacological management of the most common leukemia-related pain syndromes in children, including cancer-related painful neuropathies and osteonecrosis. We also focus on the impact of pain on quality of life of childhood leukemia patients and the most common pain medications used in the pediatric population, with differences in their utilizations across countries. ABSTRACT: Pain is one of the most common symptoms in children suffering from leukemia, who are often misdiagnosed with other childhood painful diseases such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis (ON) and vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) are the most common painful manifestations. Additionally, ongoing pain may continue to impact quality of life in survivorship. This narrative review focuses on the pathophysiological mechanisms of pain in childhood leukemia and current available indications for analgesic treatments. Pain management in children is often inadequate because of difficulties in pain assessment, different indications across countries, and the lack of specific pediatric trials. Analgesic drugs are often prescribed off-label to children by extrapolating information from adult guidelines, with possible increased risk of adverse events. Optimal pain management should involve a multidisciplinary team to ensure assessment and interventions tailored to the individual patient.