Patient Acceptability of the First Integrative Pediatric Oncology Unit in Spain-The Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona Experience: A Retrospective Study

Authors: Martínez García Esther, López de San Roman Fernández Cristina, Nishishinya Aquino M Betina, Pérez-Jaume Sara, Fernández-Jané Carles, Cruz Martínez Ofelia, Morales La Madrid AndrésJournal: CancersPublished: January 11, 2025DOI: 10.3390/cancers17020222

Limited EvidenceObservationaln=433 participants

Cancer Pain Management

In Plain Language: cancer pain, explained

Pediatric cancer patients and their families are increasingly combining conventional treatment with complementary therapies. These therapies are not covered by most public healthcare systems, and Spain is not an exception. To address this need, the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (Spain), established the first integrative pediatric oncology unit in 2019. The objective of this study is to describe the feasibility of implementing a pediatric integrative oncology unit, in terms of the acceptance of the interventions, as well as to present initial data on the care activities; Methods: This is a retrospective single-center study, conducted in the Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu. Data from patients during a two-year period were collected by reviewing medical records in a pseudonymous manner; Results: From 1 September 2019 to 30 September 2021, the unit was visited by 433 patients. The median age of patients was 9 years [range 0-34 years], with 266 boys (61.4%) and 167 girls (38.6%). Of these patients, 90.1% were in active treatment, 7.6% were survivors, and 2.3% were at the end of life. Acupuncture was recommended to 227 patients, with a 94.7% acceptance rate. Aromatherapy was recommended to 114 patients, with a 100% acceptance. The reflexology team visited 129 patients, delivering a total of 414 sessions, with a 96.1% acceptance.; Conclusions: The findings of our study support the feasibility of implementing an Integrative Pediatric Oncology Unit within a patient-centered care model in a comprehensive pediatric cancer center. The high acceptance rates of various complementary therapies highlight their potential role in enhancing supportive care for pediatric oncology patients.

Key Findings: what this observational study found about cancer pain

✓Between September 2019 and September 2021, 433 pediatric cancer patients visited the first integrative pediatric oncology unit established in Spain at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona.
✓Pediatric cancer patients and their families increasingly seek to combine conventional cancer treatment with complementary therapies, which are typically not covered by public healthcare systems.
✓The establishment of a dedicated integrative pediatric oncology unit demonstrated feasibility in terms of patient acceptance of complementary interventions alongside conventional oncology care.

What This Means for You

While this study shows families are willing to try reflexology for pediatric cancer, this is based on acceptance rates only—it doesn't prove reflexology actually improves health outcomes, so discuss with your child's oncology team first.

What This Means for Practitioners

High patient acceptance of reflexology in pediatric oncology settings suggests strong demand, but integrate carefully within hospital protocols and document outcomes to build evidence for your practice.

Study Design: how this observational study was run

Sample Size

433 participants

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Cancer pain: common questions

What does this study say about cancer pain?

What did this study find?

Between September 2019 and September 2021, 433 pediatric cancer patients visited the first integrative pediatric oncology unit established in Spain at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona. Pediatric cancer patients and their families increasingly seek to combine conventional cancer treatment with complementary therapies, which are typically not covered by public healthcare systems. The establishment of a dedicated integrative pediatric oncology unit demonstrated feasibility in terms of patient acceptance of complementary interventions alongside conventional oncology care.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a observational study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 433 participants. It was published in Cancers. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.