Gaps in Diagnosing Suspected Infection in Immunocompromised Children
with Cancer: A Systematic Review
Abstract
While the survival of children with cancer has improved over time,
infection remains a major morbidity and mortality risk. We conducted a
systematic literature review to determine the unmet needs in diagnosing
infection in immunocompromised children with cancer. The comprehensive
search strategy followed the guidelines established by the Cochrane
Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred
Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020
statement and spanned multiple bibliographic databases and other public
sources from January 1, 2012–June 23, 2022. From 5,188 records, 34
unique pediatric-focused studies met inclusion criteria. This review
highlights the lack of published data on infectious disease testing in
pediatric oncology patients and the need for well-designed clinical
impact and cost-effectiveness studies of both existing and novel
diagnostic platforms. Such studies are necessary to optimize diagnostic
and antimicrobial stewardship, leading to improvement in patient
outcomes.