PATIENTS AND METHODS
New oncology patients referred to British Columbia Children’s Hospital (BCCH) were assessed for eligibility. Patients had to be at least six months old and have an oncology diagnosis that required chemotherapy treatment. A delegated study physician obtained informed consent. The study and consent/assent forms were approved by our Institutional Review Board.
Patients had micronutrient levels assessed at the time of routine blood work as close to the time of diagnosis as possible, but no longer than four weeks from diagnosis. Height, weight, and BMI Z scores were calculated. Repeat micronutrient evaluations were undertaken approximately six months after diagnosis. All data were entered into a secure REDCap database. At the conclusion of the study, guardians were interviewed to ascertain whether their child was on any supplements at the time of diagnosis and/or during the first six months of chemotherapy. Micronutrient levels were measured in the Hospital’s Biochemistry Laboratory. Results were not entered into the patient clinical charts to keep the results blinded to clinical staff, as requested by the physician staff. A patient was considered deficient if one or more of the six micronutrients were below the normal designated value for their age. Specific side effects/adverse events were documented on the clinical charts according to the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) reporting standards.