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Mogensen N, Kreicbergs U, Albertsen BK, Lähteenmäki PM, Heyman M, Harila A. Quality of life in children and adolescents after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia according to the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e31018. [PMID: 38644601 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The improved outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) over the last decades has increased the importance of assessing late effects and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), particularly when evaluating and comparing outcomes in clinical trials. This study aimed to assess HRQoL in children treated for ALL according to the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol. PROCEDURE Children, aged 1 to less than 18 years at diagnosis, alive in first remission, and their parents, were asked to complete PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales (self- and proxy-report) at ≥6 months after end of therapy. Data on socioeconomic factors and parent-reported toxicity were collected through a study-specific questionnaire, and the NOPHO ALL2008 database was used to identify eligible families and add additional disease- and treatment-related data. HRQoL data were collected during 2013-2019 in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. RESULTS A total of 299 children were included. The older children (8 years and older) reported similar HRQoL scores compared to Finnish reference data, except lower scores for School Functioning in high-risk patients. Scores from the parent-proxy and self-reports from 5-7-year olds were notably lower than reference. Parent-reported toxicity was associated with lower total and physical HRQoL scores in adjusted models for younger as well as older children in the self-report and parent-proxy versions, and also with lower psychosocial score in the parent-proxy. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported HRQoL was similar to reference population. The most important determinant for HRQoL after end of ALL treatment was parent-reported toxicity during treatment. Thus, minimizing complications is an obvious focus for future treatment protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Mogensen
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Kreicbergs
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Health Care Sciences, Palliative Research Centre, Marie Cederschiöld University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Louis Dundas Centre for Children's Palliative Care, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, England
| | - Birgitte Klug Albertsen
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Päivi M Lähteenmäki
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, and FICAN-West, Turku, Finland
- Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mats Heyman
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arja Harila
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University and Pediatric Oncology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
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2
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Alias H, Mohd Ranai N, Lau SCD, de Sonneville LMJ. Neuropsychological task outcomes among survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Malaysia. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7915. [PMID: 38575744 PMCID: PMC10995164 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58128-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This study intended to explore the neuropsychological ramifications in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors in Malaysia and to examine treatment-related sequelae. A case-control study was conducted over a 2-year period. Seventy-one survivors of childhood ALL who had completed treatment for a minimum of 1 year and were in remission, and 71 healthy volunteers were enlisted. To assess alertness (processing speed) and essential executive functioning skills such as working memory capacity, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention, seven measures from the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT) program were chosen. Main outcome measures were speed, stability and accuracy of responses. Mean age at diagnosis was 4.50 years (SD ± 2.40) while mean age at study entry was 12.18 years (SD ± 3.14). Survivors of childhood ALL underperformed on 6 out of 7 ANT tasks, indicating poorer sustained attention, working memory capacity, executive visuomotor control, and cognitive flexibility. Duration of treatment, age at diagnosis, gender, and cumulative doses of chemotherapy were not found to correlate with any of the neuropsychological outcome measures. Childhood ALL survivors in our center demonstrated significantly poorer neuropsychological status compared to healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidah Alias
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, 56000, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Norashikin Mohd Ranai
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), 47000, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sie Chong Doris Lau
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, 56000, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Leo M J de Sonneville
- Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
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3
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Grundström A, Harila A, Lönnerblad M. Educational and occupational outcomes in Swedish children treated for sarcomas: A nationwide registry-based study. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30719. [PMID: 37837179 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many children treated for cancer experience a negative impact on their academic performance; however, most studies of children treated for sarcomas have not investigated academic performance. Our aim was to explore how Swedish children treated for sarcomas perform academically, as well as how they adjust to life afterwards. PROCEDURE We compared 167 pediatric sarcoma survivors with 776 matched, non-sibling controls without a history of cancer, in a retrospective cohort study using data from nationwide registries. Primary outcomes were grades at the end of compulsory education, high school eligibility, post-compulsory education (i.e., education after school Year 9), employment, and sickness or activity compensation. RESULTS Pediatric sarcoma survivors were more likely to be ineligible for high school (odds ratio [OR] 1.76; p = .045) and more likely to fail Swedish (OR 2.12; p = .046), mathematics (OR 2.27; p = .011), and/or physical education (OR 2.24; p = .004), compared with controls. Survivors were less likely to have been employed (OR 0.58; p = .027) and received sickness or activity compensation more often (OR 2.49; p = .008) compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric sarcoma survivors have poorer academic performance compared to peers without cancer in multiple school subjects. Survivors seem to catch up during post-compulsory education, but might struggle to find employment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albin Grundström
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arja Harila
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Malin Lönnerblad
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Björklund AC, Darcy L, Santacroce SJ, Granlund M, Björk M. Individual patterns of problems with participation, activity, body function and environment in everyday life for children who completed brain tumor treatment. Disabil Rehabil 2023; 45:3841-3851. [PMID: 36341684 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2140845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The study purpose was to, with the help of ICF and the CPS model, describe and explain patterns of co-occurring problems with participation in everyday life activities, body functioning and environment for children who completed brain tumor treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hospital, habilitation and school records for nine children (5-11 yrs.) diagnosed with brain tumor, were retrospectively reviewed for everyday problems after treatment completion. These problems were linked to ICF codes. Median code distribution within ICF constructs participation, body function, body structure, activity, and environment were calculated to generate typical (close to median) and atypical (distant from median) patterns of problems on individual and group levels. Two children were in-depth analyzed with collaborative problem-solving (CPS) model to identify participation problems and plausible explanations. RESULTS In total, 4543 ICF linked codes revealed similarities and differences between individuals. The selected child-cases displayed educational challenges and peer-relational problems. The ICF codes related to activity, body function and environment revealed plausible explanations for the children's documented problems with participation in everyday life. CONCLUSIONS The combination of ICF and CPS can provide a comprehensive view of the child's problems and guide development of participation in everyday life-focused interventions for children treated for brain tumors.Implications for rehabilitationCare should be guided by interventions and support directed at individual children and their everyday life.The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework can support identification of the individual child's patterns of problems and how these affects the child's everyday life.It is recommended to start by identifying participation problems when using ICF to identify and describe problems in children's natural settings.The collaborative problem-solving model can guide healthcare, habilitation and school services when identifying and acting on typical and atypical problem patterns experienced by these children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Christin Björklund
- CHILD research group, SIDR, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Laura Darcy
- Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, Sweden
| | - Sheila Judge Santacroce
- School of Nursing and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mats Granlund
- CHILD research group, SIDR, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Mental Health, Norwegian Natural science and Technology Unversity, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Maria Björk
- CHILD research group, SIDR, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
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5
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Lönnerblad M, Åberg M, Blomgren K, Berglund E. Post-Compulsory Education in Teenagers and Young Adults Treated for Brain Tumors in Childhood: A Swedish Nationwide Registry-Based Study. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010255. [PMID: 36612254 PMCID: PMC9818516 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The risk of late complications after a brain tumor in childhood is high. Both the tumor itself and the treatments give rise to sequelae that affect daily life activities. In this registry study, we explored post-compulsory education, i.e., further education following the nine compulsory years in school, in 452 cases born 1988-1996 and diagnosed with a brain tumor before their fifteenth birthday. They were compared with 2188 individual controls who were not treated for cancer. Significantly fewer teenagers and young adults treated for brain tumors in childhood attended high school or university compared with controls, especially individuals treated for embryonal tumors or optic pathway gliomas. A significantly larger proportion of subjects treated for embryonal tumors and craniopharyngiomas attended folk high schools, a type of post-compulsory school with a more accessible learning environment. For both cases and controls, we observed a positive correlation between parental education levels and attendance in high school and university. In our previous studies we have shown that children treated for brain tumors, as a group, tend to perform worse during their last year of compulsory school compared with their peers, and the current study confirms that these differences remain over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Lönnerblad
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska Sjukhuset, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.:+46-734697279
| | - Maria Åberg
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine/Primary Health Care, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Regionhälsan, Region Västra Götaland, 40583 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
- Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Berglund
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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6
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Doser K, Belmonte F, Andersen KK, Østergaard JR, Hove H, Handrup MM, Ejerskov C, Mulvihill JJ, Winther JF, Kenborg L. School performance of children with neurofibromatosis 1: a nationwide population-based study. Eur J Hum Genet 2022; 30:1405-1412. [PMID: 35859011 PMCID: PMC9712673 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-022-01149-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) may have a high burden of somatic disease and cognitive impairments, which can lead to poor academic performance. We evaluated school grades from exams ending mandatory schooling (usually around age 15 or 16 years) of children with NF1 in a population-based registry study using a within-school matched design. The study included 285 children with NF1 and 12,000 NF1-free peers who graduated from the same school and year during 2002-2015. We estimated overall and gender-specific grades by subject and compared the grades of children with NF1 with those of NF1-free peers in linear regression models. We also examined the effect of social and socioeconomic factors (immigration status and parental education, income and civil status) on grades and age at finalizing ninth grade. School grades varied considerably by socioeconomic stratum for all children; however, children with NF1 had lower grades by an average of 11-12% points in all subjects. In the adjusted models, children with NF1 had significantly lower grades than their NF1-free peers, with largest negative differences in grades observed for girls with NF1. Finally, children with NF1 were 0.2 (CI 0.1-0.2) years older than their peers on graduating from ninth grade, but only maternal educational modified the age at graduating. In conclusion, students with NF1 perform more poorly than their peers in all major school subjects. Gender had a strong effect on the association between NF1 and school grades; however, socioeconomic factors had a similar effect on grades for children with NF1 and their peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Doser
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Federica Belmonte
- Statistics and Data Analysis, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus Kaae Andersen
- Statistics and Data Analysis, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John R Østergaard
- Center for Rare Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hanne Hove
- The RAREDIS Database, Center for Rare Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mette M Handrup
- Center for Rare Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Ejerskov
- Center for Rare Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - John J Mulvihill
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jeanette F Winther
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University and University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Line Kenborg
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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7
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Pickering L, Main KM, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Sehested A, Mathiasen R, Klose M, Ibsen R, Kjellberg J, Jennum P. Survival and long-term socioeconomic consequences of childhood and adolescent onset of brain tumours. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022. [PMID: 36451275 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate survival distributions, long-term socioeconomic consequences, and health care costs in patients with childhood and adolescent onset of brain tumours in a Danish nationwide prospective cohort study. METHOD A search of national registries identified 2283 patients (1198 males, 1085 females; mean age 9 years 6 months [SD 5 years 7 months]) diagnosed with a brain tumour between 1980 and 2015 and aged no older than 18 years at diagnosis. These were compared with sex-, age-, and residency-matched comparison individuals. Patients with malignant tumours were compared with those with benign tumours. Survival distributions were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and hazard ratio by the Cox proportional hazard model. Socioeconomic data at age 20 and 30 years were assessed. RESULTS The probability of mortality was highest during the first year after tumour diagnosis. In young adulthood, the patients were generally less likely to be married, had lower grade-point averages, educational levels, and income, were less likely to be in employment, and had higher health care costs than comparison individuals. Patients with malignant tumours had worse outcomes with respect to education, employment, and health care costs than those with benign tumours. INTERPRETATION A diagnosis of brain tumour in childhood and adolescence adversely affects survival and has negative long-term socioeconomic consequences, especially in patients with malignant tumours. These patients require continuous social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Pickering
- Danish Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Katharina M Main
- Department of Growth and Reproduction and EDMaRC, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Astrid Sehested
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - René Mathiasen
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marianne Klose
- Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jakob Kjellberg
- VIVE - The Danish Center for Social Science Research, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Poul Jennum
- Danish Center for Sleep Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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8
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Childhood lymphoma treatment impacts educational outcomes: a registry study from Sweden. J Cancer Surviv 2022:10.1007/s11764-022-01266-0. [DOI: 10.1007/s11764-022-01266-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to explore educational outcomes in individuals diagnosed with lymphoma in childhood concerning school grade year 9 and attendance in high school and post-compulsory education. Whether sex or age at diagnosis affected the assessed variables was also explored.
Methods
Data from 174 children born 1988–1996 and diagnosed with lymphoma before age 15 were matched with approximately five controls per patient. The mean time since diagnosis to receiving school year 9 grades was 4.88 years for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases (mean age at diagnosis 10.62, 11.76, and 10.05 years for all, girls, and boys, respectively) and 7.79 years for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases (mean age at diagnosis 7.85, 7.87, and 7.84 years for all, girls, and boys, respectively).
Results
We observed statistically significant differences between cases and controls in physical education, both for failing (p = 0.041) and the highest grade (p = 0.015). Compared with controls, HL cases were three times more likely to fail mathematics, and significantly fewer individuals in the whole lymphoma (p = 0.011) and NHL (p = 0.035) groups attended the third year of high school.
Conclusions
Educational outcomes are impacted for children treated for lymphoma, especially in physical education. Since patients with HL are treated without central nervous system-directed therapy, other factors, such as absence from school, may affect school results. Physical late complications in lymphoma survivors warrant special attention.
Implications for Cancer Survivors
The problems childhood lymphoma survivors face should be known by schools and parents, to enable their management. Children treated for lymphoma should be closely monitored and included in follow-up programs when needed, for example, to support physical activity.
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9
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Van der Looven R, De Vos E, Vandekerckhove K, Coomans I, Laureys G, Dhooge C. Efficacy of interdisciplinary rehabilitation in child cancer survivors: Impact on physical fitness, fatigue and body composition after 1-year follow-up. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2022; 31:e13761. [PMID: 36330596 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Childhood cancer survivors experience reduced physical activity level, participation as well as health-related quality of life. This prospective, pre-/post-intervention and follow-up cohort study aims to determine the efficacy of an interdisciplinary rehabilitation on improving physical fitness, fatigue and body composition. METHODS A total of 24 childhood cancer survivors (mean age: 12.15 years ± 3.2; 14 females; 10 males) were recruited 6 months after medical treatment and received a 4-month interdisciplinary intervention. Cardiorespiratory fitness (PredVO2peak and PredLoadmax ), body composition (dry lean weight) and quality of life (general fatigue) were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 1-year follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to analyse data. RESULTS Linear mixed modelling revealed a significant main effect of time on predicted maximal load (F = 13.189, df = 36.179, p < 0.001), dry lean weight (F = 64.813, df = 37.019, p < 0.001) but also significant improvement of general fatigue score (-9.039 ± 4.300, 95% CI -17.741 to -0.336, p = 0.042), indicating a decline in general fatigue. CONCLUSION With emerging evidence that physical activity is safe and feasible, together with increasing numbers of childhood cancer survivors at risk for long-term chronic co-morbidities, this study advocates for better access to interdisciplinary rehabilitation programmes in order to improve their physical condition and their body composition and reduce fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Van der Looven
- Child Rehabilitation Centre, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elise De Vos
- Child Rehabilitation Centre, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Ilse Coomans
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geneviève Laureys
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Catharina Dhooge
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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10
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Devine KA, Christen S, Mulder RL, Brown MC, Ingerski LM, Mader L, Potter EJ, Sleurs C, Viola AS, Waern S, Constine LS, Hudson MM, Kremer LCM, Skinner R, Michel G, Gilleland Marchak J, Schulte FSM. Recommendations for the surveillance of education and employment outcomes in survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: A report from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. Cancer 2022; 128:2405-2419. [PMID: 35435238 PMCID: PMC9321726 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Educational achievement and employment outcomes are critical indicators of quality of life in survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer. This review is aimed at providing an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) with internationally harmonized recommendations for the surveillance of education and employment outcomes in survivors of CAYA cancer diagnosed before the age of 30 years. The CPG was developed by a multidisciplinary panel under the umbrella of the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. After evaluating concordances and discordances of 4 existing CPGs, the authors performed a systematic literature search through February 2021. They screened articles for eligibility, assessed quality, and extracted and summarized the data from included articles. The authors formulated recommendations based on the evidence and clinical judgment. There were 3930 articles identified, and 83 of them, originating from 17 countries, were included. On a group level, survivors were more likely to have lower educational achievement and more likely to be unemployed than comparisons. Key risk factors for poor outcomes included receiving a primary diagnosis of a central nervous system tumor and experiencing late effects. The authors recommend that health care providers be aware of the risk of educational and employment problems, implement regular surveillance, and refer survivors to specialists if problems are identified. In conclusion, this review presents a harmonized CPG that aims to facilitate evidence-based care, positively influence education and employment outcomes, and ultimately minimize the burden of disease and treatment-related late adverse effects for survivors of CAYA cancers. LAY SUMMARY: A multidisciplinary panel has developed guidelines for the surveillance of education and employment outcomes among survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer. On the basis of evidence showing that survivors are at risk for lower educational achievement and unemployment, it is recommended that all survivors receive regular screening for educational and employment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie A Devine
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Salome Christen
- Health Science and Health Policy, Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Renée L Mulder
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Morven C Brown
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.,Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Ingerski
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Luzius Mader
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Adrienne S Viola
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | | | - Louis S Constine
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | | | - Roderick Skinner
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.,Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Haematology/Oncology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Gisela Michel
- Health Science and Health Policy, Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Jordan Gilleland Marchak
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Fiona S M Schulte
- Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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11
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Improving the Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors in School: Consensus Recommendations Using a Delphi Study. CHILDREN 2021; 8:children8111021. [PMID: 34828734 PMCID: PMC8618439 DOI: 10.3390/children8111021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Successful school re-entry is important for children following cancer treatment. However, this process is a challenge for teachers. Objectives: To identify (1) the difficulties and needs that teachers have in helping youth cancer survivors be successful in school, (2) the most effective resources that teachers are currently using for helping them, and (3) the ideal contents for a program that could help teachers in this area. Methods: Twenty-eight teachers participated in a Delphi study. Results: A lack of knowledge regarding how to best help and having to deal with the student’s problems were identified as difficulties. Specific training, psychological support, and advice from health professionals were the most commonly reported needs. Maintaining contact with the family and the students and providing personalized attention were viewed as the most useful resources. Finally, knowledge about the disease itself and how to facilitate successful school re-entry were identified as important program components. Conclusion: The findings provide important new information regarding the lack of both resources and support for teachers who seek to help youth cancer survivors. The findings can be used to inform the development of an intervention to help teachers become more successful in facilitating successful school re-entry.
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Christensen SR, Carlsen LT. From well-known to changed everyday family life in families with childhood cancer: A grounded theory of disrupted family dynamic. Psychooncology 2021; 31:282-289. [PMID: 34505326 DOI: 10.1002/pon.5809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Families affected by childhood cancer need to adapt either temporarily or permanently. This study identifies variables that influence this adaption in positive or negative ways by presenting a classic grounded theory. METHODS This inductive, qualitative study included 69 childhood cancer patients, 39 siblings, 42 parents, and 24 childhood cancer survivors from 104 families. RESULTS The families enter a social process after diagnosis characterized by either shuttling between the well-known and the new or being in a situation with both aspects. The extent depends on the stage of the treatment (initial phase, during treatment, or the end of the course of treatment) and on four variables: (1) the diagnosis and prognosis; (2) the course of the disease, including duration of treatment or hospitalizations, and separation from the remaining family; (3) the child's current state, including symptoms, hospitalizations, and current risk of death or relapse; and (4) whether previous and current needs have been met. CONCLUSIONS These variables offer a possible explanation of insufficient coping strategies, and they should be used to identify potentially vulnerable families. The dynamic of the variables imply that families should be reevaluated during each of the three phases, as the risk of changes to the family's everyday life may increase and therefore their needs may also change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Rex Christensen
- Patient Support and Community Activities, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Line Thoft Carlsen
- Patient Support and Community Activities, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Denmark Department of Sociology and Social Work, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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13
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Jibb LA, Chartrand J, Masama T, Johnston DL. Home-Based Pediatric Cancer Care: Perspectives and Improvement Suggestions From Children, Family Caregivers, and Clinicians. JCO Oncol Pract 2021; 17:e827-e839. [PMID: 33914620 DOI: 10.1200/op.20.00958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Although the hospital remains the dominant site for delivering most pediatric cancer care, home-based care is increasingly provided. To effectively deliver comprehensive, relevant, and acceptable care in children's homes, the voices of these key informants must be considered. We examined the views of children with cancer, their family caregivers, and clinicians on home-based cancer care to identify necessary strategies to improve the delivery of care. METHODS Children with cancer, their family caregivers, and multiprofessional clinicians who provide care at a tertiary pediatric care center or in the community participated in audio-recorded, semistructured interviews in French and English. Interviews were conducted until data saturation in each participant group was achieved. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Thirteen children, 20 family caregivers, and 22 clinicians participated. Home-based care was endorsed as a means to improve child health-, family social- and financial-, and system-level outcomes. The success of a home-based model is built on care that addresses child and family informational, treatment and care, material, and psychosocial needs. Mechanisms to improve care include enhanced homecare agency-hospital-family communication, training for homecare nurses in pediatric cancer care, virtual solutions, and an expanded breadth of services provided in-home. Child-, family-, and system-related factors affect the delivery of optimal home-based care. CONCLUSION Children, families, and clinicians value a model of pediatric cancer care that incorporates home-based services. The insights of these key informants should be reflected in the principles that become the basis of home-based cancer care best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Jibb
- Lawrence S Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie Chartrand
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tatenda Masama
- Lawrence S Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Donna L Johnston
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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14
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Lönnerblad M, Berglund E, van’t Hooft I, Blomgren K. Can National Tests from the Last Year of Compulsory School Be Used to Obtain More Detailed Information about Academic Performance in Children Treated for Brain Tumours? A Nationwide, Population-Based Study from Sweden. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13010135. [PMID: 33406638 PMCID: PMC7795235 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Children treated for brain tumours often suffer from late-appearing complications, including impaired cognitive performance. In this study, 475 Swedish children diagnosed with a brain tumour before their 15th birthday and 2197 matched controls were included. Data from compulsory national tests performed school year nine in the first foreign language English, the mother tongue Swedish and mathematics were analysed. These tests offered more detailed information on academic strengths and weaknesses than the final grades, as different skill sets were assessed. Cases performed worse than controls in English tests than in Swedish and mathematics tests, and they may have performed better in oral than written tasks. There were larger differences between girls treated for brain tumours and their female controls than between boys treated for brain tumours and their male controls. National tests may be useful to complement neuropsychological follow-ups. Characterising these shortcomings is essential to provide appropriate support and prevent social isolation. Abstract Children treated for brain tumours often have late-appearing complications that may affect their school performance. Uneven skill profiles may help reveal late complications that can be compensated for but otherwise remain undetected. We investigated Swedish national school tests of oral, reading and writing skills in the first foreign language (English), the mother tongue (Swedish) and mathematics. Data were obtained from The Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry and Statistics Sweden. The results from 475 children diagnosed with a brain tumour before their 15th birthday and 2197 matched controls showed that children treated for brain tumours evinced more difficulties with national tests than controls in almost all subtests, especially in the subject English, and that they may perform better on oral than written tasks. There were larger differences between female cases and controls than between male cases and controls; age at diagnosis played a significant role for some subtests, whereas tumour grade did not. Missing information from national tests proved to be a strong predictor of poor academic performance. Our results show that regular educational follow-ups, as a complement to neuropsychological follow-ups, are important for all children treated for brain tumours, regardless of sex, age at diagnosis or tumour grade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Lönnerblad
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18 A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Correspondence: (M.L.); (K.B.)
| | - Eva Berglund
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Ingrid van’t Hooft
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18 A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18 A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Paediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, J9:30, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: (M.L.); (K.B.)
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15
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Carlsen LT, Christensen SR. Childhood cancer patients' baseline for social affiliation as a determining factor for the self-reported impact of person-based exclusion. J Psychosoc Oncol 2020; 38:714-727. [PMID: 32758028 DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2020.1798577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Childhood cancer patients experience a challenging reentry to social activities after diagnosis. This study aims to generate knowledge about the challenges experienced by childhood cancer patients with peers during and after treatment. DESIGN This study is a qualitative mixed study. PARTICIPANTS The study included 70 children - 34 boys and 36 girls - aged 3 to 17 years who are affiliated with a pediatric oncology unit in Denmark. FINDINGS Childhood cancer patients experience two types of exclusion: (1) unavoidable diagnosis-related exclusion and (2) person-based exclusion from teachers, peers, and peers' parents. Person-based exclusion is manifested through the perceived insecurity of peers, misconceptions, and bullying. The impact and degree of these interactions partly depend on the patients' social affiliation prior to cancer. IMPLICATION FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL PROVIDERS There is a need to understand the exclusion experiences of childhood cancer patients and identify particularly vulnerable children to reduce the self-reported impact of person-based exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Thoft Carlsen
- Patient Support and Community Activities, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Sociology and Social Work, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Sophie Rex Christensen
- Patient Support and Community Activities, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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16
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Huang W, Sundquist K, Sundquist J, Ji J. Poor academic performance in offspring of survivors with childhood or adolescent central nervous system tumor in Sweden. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:2687-2694. [PMID: 32363584 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The number of children who were born after their parents were diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) tumor is increasing, but it remains largely unknown regarding the academic performance of these children. We aimed to investigate whether children of survivors with childhood or adolescent CNS tumor were associated with poor academic performance. Children of survivors of CNS tumor were identified by combining the nationwide Swedish Cancer Register and the Multi-Generation Register, and those who have completed compulsory education in Sweden between 1989 and 2015 were included in our study. "Poor academic performance" was defined as a z-score of the academic performance below the 10th percentile. Conditional logistic regression and quantile regression were used to examine the association. A total of 655 children were born after their parental diagnosis of CNS tumor and they had 1.39 times higher risk of achieving poor academic performance as compared to the matched comparisons (95% CI = 1.10-1.76). The poor academic performance was even more pronounced in boys, among those with a paternal diagnosis of CNS tumor and those with a parental ependymoma. The observed association differed depending on preterm birth. In addition, the strength of the association declined with the increased quantiles of academic performance z-score. Our data suggest that parental CNS tumor affects the subsequent academic achievements among children born after the parental tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuqing Huang
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.,Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Center for Community-based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Department of Functional Pathology, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Jan Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.,Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Center for Community-based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Department of Functional Pathology, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Jianguang Ji
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden
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17
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Lönnerblad M, Van't Hooft I, Blomgren K, Berglund E. A nationwide, population-based study of school grades, delayed graduation, and qualification for school years 10-12, in children with brain tumors in Sweden. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2020; 67:e28014. [PMID: 31595683 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As many as 95.7% of children diagnosed with a brain tumor will experience persistent late effects as adults. These include difficulties with general executive functions, lower IQ, and mental fatigue, which may negatively affect school performance. METHODS Through the Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry, we identified 475 children born between 1988 and 1996, diagnosed with a brain tumor before their 15th birthday. School grades in "Swedish," "mathematics," and "English," if their graduation was delayed, and qualification for school years 10-12 were compared with 2197 matched controls. Furthermore, we checked for interaction effects between sex and age at diagnosis, and possible effects of tumor grade (high or low) as well as parents' education. RESULTS Children treated for a brain tumor performed worse in the subjects compared to controls and also had delayed graduation to a greater extent. Fewer children treated for a brain tumor than controls qualified for school years 10-12. Children treated at a young age, especially females, and children whose parents have low education seem to be at particular risk. Unexpectedly, there were no differences in outcomes between survivors with high- and low-grade tumors. CONCLUSIONS It is important that schools provide regular pedagogical assessment and individualized support to meet the different needs of children treated for a brain tumor. Children treated for low-grade tumors do not perform better than children treated for high-grade tumors, despite the lighter treatment, and hence require the same attention and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Lönnerblad
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Neuropediatric Unit, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Van't Hooft
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Berglund
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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18
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Tonning Olsson I, Brinkman TM, Wang M, Ehrhardt MJ, Banerjee P, Mulrooney DA, Huang IC, Ness KK, Bishop MW, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Neurocognitive and psychosocial outcomes in adult survivors of childhood soft-tissue sarcoma: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. Cancer 2020; 126:1576-1584. [PMID: 31913509 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have examined long-term neurocognitive outcomes in survivors of childhood soft-tissue sarcoma. METHODS A total of 150 survivors (41% of whom were female with a mean current age of 33 years [SD, 8.9 years] and a time since diagnosis of 24 years [SD, 8.7 years]) and 349 community controls (56% of whom were female with a mean current age of 35 years [SD, 10.2 years]) completed comprehensive neuropsychological testing, echocardiography, electrocardiography, pulmonary function tests, endocrine evaluation, and physical examination. Patient-reported outcomes of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and social attainment were collected. Survivors were compared with norms and controls on neurocognitive outcomes using general linear models, and on HRQOL and social attainment using modified Poisson models. The impacts of treatment and chronic health conditions on outcomes were examined using multivariable general linear models (effect size was expressed as unstandardized β estimates that reflected the unit of change from a mean of 0 and an SD of 1) and modified Poisson models (effect size expressed as relative risks). RESULTS Compared with controls and population norms, survivors demonstrated lower performance on measures of verbal reasoning (mean z score, -0.45 [SD, 1.15]; P < .001) mathematics (mean z score, -0.63 [SD, 1.07]; P < .001), and long-term memory (mean z score, -0.37 [SD, 1.14]; P < .001). Cumulative anthracycline exposure (per 100 mg/m2 ) was found to be associated with poorer verbal reasoning (β = -0.14 z scores; P = .04), reading (β = -0.09 z score; P = .04), and patient-reported vitality (relative risk, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.09-1.59). Neurologic and neurosensory chronic conditions were associated with poorer mathematics (neurologic conditions: β = -0.63 z score [P = 0.02]; and hearing impairment: β = -0.75 z scores [P < 0.01]). Better cognitive performance was associated with higher social attainment. CONCLUSIONS Long-term survivors of soft-tissue sarcoma are at risk of neurocognitive problems and poor HRQOL associated with anthracycline treatment and chronic health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Tonning Olsson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Tara M Brinkman
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Mingjuan Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Matthew J Ehrhardt
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Pia Banerjee
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Daniel A Mulrooney
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - I-Chan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kirsten K Ness
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Michael W Bishop
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Deokumar Srivastava
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Leslie L Robison
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kevin R Krull
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
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19
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Lönnerblad M, Van't Hooft I, Blomgren K, Berglund E. Nationwide, population-based study of school grades in practical and aesthetic subjects of children treated for brain tumour. BMJ Paediatr Open 2020; 4:e000619. [PMID: 32201746 PMCID: PMC7073787 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children treated for brain tumour (hereafter termed paediatric brain tumour survivors (PBTS)) often need extra support in school because of late-appearing side effects after their treatment. We explored how this group of children perform in the five practical and aesthetic (PRAEST) subjects: home and consumer studies, physical education and health, art, crafts and music. METHODS In this nationwide population-based study of data from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry and Statistics Sweden, we included 475 children born between 1988 and 1996, diagnosed with a brain tumour before their 15th birthday. We compared their grades in PRAEST subjects with those of 2197 matched controls. We also investigated if there were any differences between girls and boys, children diagnosed at different ages, and children with high-grade or low-grade tumours. RESULTS The odds for failing a subject were two to three times higher for girls treated for a brain tumour compared with their controls in all five PRAEST subjects, whereas there were no significant differences between the boys and their controls in any subject. PBTS had lower average grades from year 9 in all PRAEST subjects, and girls differed from their controls in all five subjects, while boys differed in physical education and health and music. PBTS treated for high-grade tumours neither did have significantly different average grades nor did they fail a subject to a significantly higher extent than PBTS treated for low-grade tumours. CONCLUSIONS Children treated for a brain tumour, especially girls, are at risk of lower average grades or failing PRAEST subjects. All children treated for brain tumour may need extra support as these subjects are important for their well-being and future skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Lönnerblad
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Van't Hooft
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Berglund
- Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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20
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Frederiksen LE, Mader L, Feychting M, Mogensen H, Madanat-Harjuoja L, Malila N, Tolkkinen A, Hasle H, Winther JF, Erdmann F. Surviving childhood cancer: a systematic review of studies on risk and determinants of adverse socioeconomic outcomes. Int J Cancer 2018; 144:1796-1823. [PMID: 30098012 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Substantial improvements in childhood cancer survival have resulted in a steadily increasing population of childhood cancer survivors. Whereas somatic late effects have been assessed in many studies, less is known about the impact of childhood cancer on socioeconomic outcomes in survivors. The aim of this article was to evaluate and summarise the evidence on the socioeconomic conditions of childhood cancer survivors and to identify survivors at particular risk of adverse socioeconomic outcomes. An extensive literature search of three electronic databases was conducted. Of 419 articles identified, 52 met the inclusion criteria. All the selected articles were appraised for quality, and findings were summarised in a narrative synthesis. Childhood cancer survivors were at higher risk of adverse socioeconomic outcomes with regard to educational achievement, income and social security benefits than the general population or a sibling comparison group. The risks for unemployment and a lower occupational position were significantly increased only for survivors of a central nervous system tumour. Notably, survivors of central nervous system tumours, survivors treated with cranial radiotherapy and those diagnosed at younger age independent of cancer type were determinants of particular adverse socioeconomic outcomes. Given the increasing population of childhood cancer survivors, targeted follow-up interventions and support strategies addressing not only the somatic and psychiatric late effects but also the socioeconomic difficulties that some childhood cancer survivors face is of high importance to reduce social inequity, and ensure a high quality of life after childhood cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luzius Mader
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Feychting
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Mogensen
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Madanat-Harjuoja
- Finnish Cancer Registry, Helsinki, Finland.,Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nea Malila
- Finnish Cancer Registry, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anniina Tolkkinen
- Finnish Cancer Registry, Helsinki, Finland.,Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henrik Hasle
- Department of Paediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jeanette Falck Winther
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Friederike Erdmann
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Lindahl M, Addington SV, Winther JF, Schmiegelow K, Andersen KK. Socioeconomic Factors and Ninth Grade School Performance in Childhood Leukemia and CNS Tumor Survivors. JNCI Cancer Spectr 2018; 2:pky003. [PMID: 31360837 PMCID: PMC6649790 DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pky003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood cancer survivors can experience deficits in school performance in adolescence. Few studies have investigated how social and socioeconomic factors influence and modify school performance. This study investigates the hypothesis that social and parental socioeconomic factors influence ninth grade school performance in childhood leukemia and central nervous system (CNS) tumor survivors and that the effect is different from that in healthy peers. Methods We analyzed data from nationwide Danish registers on school grades for children who finished ninth grade during 2002–2015 in Denmark. Using a unique within-school matched design, we compared grades from childhood cancer survivors with grades from healthy peers. Social factors were maternal/paternal civil status, immigrant status, and country of origin. Parental socioeconomic factors were measured by education and income. The study consisted of 36 426 children, of whom 460 and 289 were leukemia and CNS tumor survivors, respectively. Results School grades varied considerably across social strata. However, the grades among CNS tumor survivors varied notably less in the following effect modifiers: parental educational attainment, income, and immigrant status. On the contrary, no significant effect modifiers were found among leukemia survivors as compared with healthy peers. Conclusion There is a strong effect of social and parental socioeconomic factors on school performance in healthy adolescence in Denmark. The same pattern is seen in survivors of leukemia, but a different pattern is seen in survivors of CNS tumors. This finding suggests that impairment of school-related functions differ between leukemia and CNS tumor survivors. This study contributes to knowledge on learning in adolescence in childhood cancer survivors by investigating several social and socioeconomic effect modifiers with nationwide register data and a unique statistical method particularly suitable for comparing school grades. Improved insight could make it possible to identify high-risk groups that may need different means of help.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merete Lindahl
- Unit of Statistics, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Silas Victor Addington
- Unit of Statistics, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jeanette Falck Winther
- Unit of Cancer Survivorship, Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kjeld Schmiegelow
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus Kaae Andersen
- Unit of Statistics, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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