Pharmaceutical services in pediatric oncology: A scoping review

Abstract

Background

Although the role of pharmacists in pediatric oncology is well established, scientific production explicitly characterizing the services provided in this field remains limited.

Objective

To map studies on pharmaceutical services in pediatric oncology.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis and reported following the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. A systematic search was performed in September 2024 across six electronic databases, gray literature, and reference lists of selected studies. Eligible studies included original research and systematic reviews addressing pharmaceutical services in pediatric oncology. Two researchers independently assessed eligibility and extracted data, which were presented descriptively.

Results

Twenty-two articles were included, of which 86.4% (n = 19) were conducted in countries with a very high or high Human Development Index (HDI). Most studies were carried out in hospitals (86.4%; n = 19), with inpatient care being the most frequently addressed setting (54.6%; n = 12). The pharmaceutical services described mainly focused on pharmacotherapy follow-up (46.4%), followed by prescription analysis (18.2%) and compounding of antineoplastic agents (18.2%). In 72.7% (n = 16) of the studies, services were offered in autonomy. Regarding outcomes, 68.2% (n = 15) focused on clinical endpoints. Observational studies predominated (91%; n = 20).

Conclusion

The most frequently identified pharmaceutical services in pediatric oncology were pharmacotherapy follow-up, prescription analysis, and compounding of antineoplastic agents, generally provided autonomously within hospital and outpatient settings. These findings highlight the relevance of pharmacists’ role in this field while underscoring the need for more interventional studies evaluating clinical and economic outcomes.