Technology to Support the Care of Children and Adolescents with Cancer

Technology-based innovations have transformed healthcare, including the care of children with cancer and their families. As digital natives, children and adolescents have grown up with technology as part of their everyday lives. Researchers and clinicians have the capacity to collect more personal details, with greater ease and accuracy from patients and their families to better define phenotypes and advance the science of precision health. These recent digital health advances may facilitate the integration of multiple aspects of cancer care into families' lifestyles, with novel options for communication, monitoring, and education. This chapter explores ways in which technology is being used to advance the science of precision health for children with cancer and their families by addressing technology for monitoring health status and technology used to deliver supportive care. The chapter also explores current applications of technology to support nursing education which may also contribute to precision health for children with cancer and their families. While multiple technology-based resources show promise for enhancing care across the cancer continuum, research is needed to identify best practices for implementing technology within cancer care, including strategies for analyzing digitally obtained data, and to evaluate the efficacy of technology-based resources to improve patient outcomes.