Pediatric Oncology

Pediatric radiotherapy is an anxiety-provoking situation that can, on one hand, impair the child's cooperation and require sedation, and on the other hand,burden the care pathway by generating significant anxiety in both the child and their parents. Companion robots represent an innovative avenue for patient support, but they have never been evaluated in the context of radiotherapy. This study examines the effect of MIROKI, the first social robot capable of communication through a Large Multimodal Model (LMM), on children's state anxiety during radiotherapy. An experimental single-case design (SCED) will compare phases with and without the robot (withdrawal/reversal), both in the waiting room and in the irradiation bunker. The primary outcome variable is anxiety, assessed in several ways: through questionnaires at the beginning and end of treatment; through an objective measure of cardiac activity (heart rate in bpm) during the radiotherapy session, with or without the MIROKI robot; and through an observational grid assessing the child's behavior. The intensive repeated measure (bpm) constitutes the preferred variable in this SCED design, while behavioral observation and anxiety questionnaires will support interpretation. The results could pave the way for reducing sedation and improving the overall care pathway in pediatric radiotherapy.

Cancer treatments in children are very intense and often cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and changes in taste and smell. These sensory alterations can impact eating habits, but they are still poorly understood in children. The study aims to assess whether it is feasible to measure these sensory changes (taste, smell, salivation, and food preferences) in children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment. This study is a feasibility study with 30 patients aged 7 to 17 years, treated at the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Institute (IHOPE) in Lyon. Sensory tests and questionnaires to evaluate the perceptions, oral health, eating habits, nutritional status, and quality of life are used. The inclusion was initially planned at diagnosis, before any administration of chemotherapy. However, the study quickly encountered a recruitment problem due to the emotional impact and medical burden of this initial period of care (study offered to 11 families over a period of 5 months, 3 patients included). An amendment to the protocol was therefore made to be able to modify the inclusion period after the completion of chemotherapy. This modification was implemented on May 15, 2025, and allowed the inclusion of two new patients, making a total of 5 patients. Of these 5 patients, two completed all the tests during V0 and V1, two completed V0 but not V1, one did not complete any of the visits. This feasibility phase will help determine whether the tools are suitable and well accepted. The results will be used to design a larger study aimed at better understanding how taste and smell alterations influence the eating behaviors of young patients during cancer treatment. Recruitment will continue for six more months in order to reach the target number of participants.

The hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) process imposes a substantial psychological burden, leading to impaired emotional well-being due to intensive treatment, isolation, and immunosuppression. Patients often experience social withdrawal, loneliness, and loss of control, which may result in persistent anxiety, depressive symptoms, and reduced quality of life (QoL) if unaddressed. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of an AI-powered robotic dog in improving emotional well-being and QoL in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT.

This randomized controlled trial investigates hand puppet and squeeze toy techniques to reduce fear, emotional distress, and procedure time, and improve IV catheter placement success in 90 pediatric hematology-oncology patients (ages 6-10). Participants will be randomized into three groups: hand puppet, squeeze toy, or control. Outcomes include fear, emotional expression, procedure duration, number of attempts, and first-attempt success.

This observational study aims to describe changes in the functional abilities of children, adolescents and young adults with cancer who are undergoing physiotherapy or neuropsychomotor rehabilitation. This is real-world study aiming to describe normal rehabilitation pathways in many different hospitals or rehabilitation centres in Italy. The primary research question is: 1\) What are the longitudinal changes in functional abilities among these patients receiving physiotherapy or neuropsychomotor rehabilitation? The secondary research questions are: 1. What types of rehabilitation practices are implemented across AIEOP centres? 2. What are the rehabilitation needs among patients undergoing physiotherapy or neuropsychomotor rehabilitation? 3. How does health-related quality of life differ across the various stages of the rehabilitation pathway? Participants undergoing usual rehabilitation treatment are evaluated on their functional abilities on a monthly basis. If they agree to participate in this study, the main characteristics of the rehabilitation treatment and the monthly evaluation are collected.

"Scanxiety" is a term coined to describe anxiety related to imaging during cancer treatment and has not been robustly studied in pediatric oncology caregivers. Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based program that offers a non-pharmacologic approach to managing stress. The main purposes of this study are two-fold: 1). to determine if scanxiety exists in the caregivers of pediatric oncology patients and 2.) if scanxiety is found, does the implementation of a mindfulness program help to improve caregiver anxiety related to imaging.

The knowledge level of nurses regarding care techniques plays a crucial role in the prevention of central venous catheter-related infections. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of training on central venous catheter care (CVCC), provided to nurses caring for pediatric oncology patients, on their knowledge level and infection prevention behaviors. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of an educational program intended to enhance nurses' knowledge and practical skills in preventing CVC-related infections, thereby contributing to evidence-based practices that improve patient safety.

The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of exercise on physical performance and psychosocial aspects in children and adolescents with cancer during and after treatment.