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Kirstin S, Matthias G, Valentin B, Valerie S, Andrea F, Nedelina S, Claus K, Jochen R, Regula E. Cerebral blood flow and structural connectivity after working memory or physical training in paediatric cancer survivors - Exploratory findings. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2024:1-27. [PMID: 38809147 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2024.2356294] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Paediatric cancer survivors often suffer from cognitive long-term difficulties. Consequently, strengthening cognition is of major clinical relevance. This study investigated cerebral changes in relation to cognition in non-brain tumour paediatric cancer survivors after working memory or physical training compared to a control group. Thirty-four children (≥one-year post-treatment) either underwent eight weeks of working memory training (n = 10), physical training (n = 11), or a waiting period (n = 13). Cognition and MRI, including arterial spin labelling and diffusion tensor imaging, were assessed at three time points (baseline, post-training, and three-month follow-up). Results show lower cerebral blood flow immediately after working memory training (z = -2.073, p = .038) and higher structural connectivity at the three-month follow-up (z = -2.240, p = .025). No cerebral changes occurred after physical training. Short-term changes in cerebral blood flow correlated with short-term changes in cognitive flexibility (r = -.667, p = .049), while long-term changes in structural connectivity correlated with long-term changes in working memory (r = .786, p = .021). Despite the caution given when interpreting data from small samples, this study suggests a link between working memory training and neurophysiological changes. Further research is needed to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Schuerch Kirstin
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Grieder Matthias
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Benzing Valentin
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Siegwart Valerie
- Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Federspiel Andrea
- Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Slavova Nedelina
- Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kiefer Claus
- Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roessler Jochen
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Everts Regula
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Traunwieser T, Loos E, Ottensmeier H, Gastberger K, Nemes K, Mynarek M, Bison B, Kandels D, Neumayer P, Neumann-Holbeck A, Lüttich P, Baust K, Faulstich-Ritter K, John R, Kreisch A, Landmann J, Manteufel E, Nest A, Prüfe J, Schubert L, Stamm W, Timmermann B, Gerss J, Rutkowski S, Schlegel PG, Eyrich M, Gnekow AK, Frühwald MC. Survivors of infant atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors present with severely impaired cognitive functions especially for fluid intelligence and visual processing: data from the German brain tumor studies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30910. [PMID: 38342954 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30910] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The contribution of tumor type, multimodal treatment, and other patient-related factors upon long-term cognitive sequelae in infant brain tumor survivors remains undefined. We add our retrospective analysis of neuropsychological and quality of survival (QoS) outcome data of survivors of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT) and extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumors of the soft tissues (eMRT) and kidneys (RTK) treated within the same framework. Neuropsychological data from children with ATRT were compared to data from children with non-irradiated low-grade glioma (LGG). PATIENTS AND METHODS Following surgery, patients (0-36 months at diagnosis) had received radio-chemotherapy (up to 54 Gy; ATRT: n = 13; eMRT/RTK: n = 7), chemotherapy only (LGG: n = 4; eMRT/RTK: n = 1) or had been observed (LGG: n = 11). Neuropsychological evaluation employing comparable tests was performed at median 6.8 years (ATRT), 6.6 years (eMRT/RTK), and 5.2 years (LGG) post diagnosis. RESULTS We detected sequelae in various domains for all tumor types. Group comparison showed impairments, specifically in fluid intelligence (p = .041; d = 1.11) and visual processing (p = .001; d = 2.09) in ATRT patients when compared to LGG patients. Results for psychomotor speed and attention abilities were significantly below the norm for both groups (p < .001-.019; d = 0.79-1.90). Diagnosis predicted impairments of cognitive outcome, while sex- and age-related variables did not. QoS outcome for all rhabdoid patients displayed impairments mainly in social (p = .008; d = 0.74) and school functioning (p = .048; d = 0.67), as well as lower overall scores in psychosocial functioning (p = .023; d = 0.78) and quality of life (p = .006; d = 0.79) compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION Survivors of infant ATRT experience various late effects in cognition and QoS following multimodal treatment, while infant LGG patients without radiotherapy demonstrated comparable impairments in psychomotor and attention abilities. Early onset and multimodal treatment of rhabdoid tumors require close monitoring of neuropsychological and QoS sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Traunwieser
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Elena Loos
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Holger Ottensmeier
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Gastberger
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Karolina Nemes
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Martin Mynarek
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS4, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Brigitte Bison
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Neuroradiological Reference Center for the Pediatric Brain Tumor (HIT) Studies of the German Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Kandels
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Petra Neumayer
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Anne Neumann-Holbeck
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peggy Lüttich
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Baust
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Rainer John
- Department Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Center for Chronically Sick Children (SPZ), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Kreisch
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl-Gustav-Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Judyta Landmann
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eva Manteufel
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Nest
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jenny Prüfe
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Pediatrics III, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Lisa Schubert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Walther Stamm
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Beate Timmermann
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), West German Cancer Center (WTZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Essen, Germany
| | - Joachim Gerss
- Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Rutkowski
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Gerhardt Schlegel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Eyrich
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Astrid K Gnekow
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Michael C Frühwald
- Swabian Children's Cancer Center, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center, Augsburg, Germany
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Williams AM, Liu W, Ehrhardt MJ, Salehabadi SM, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Phillips NS, Mulrooney DA, Flerlage JE, Yasui Y, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Ness KK, Sabin ND, Krull KR. Systemic Biological Mechanisms of Neurocognitive Dysfunction in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma. Clin Cancer Res 2024; 30:1822-1832. [PMID: 38381440 PMCID: PMC11062814 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors experience neurocognitive impairment despite receiving no central nervous system-directed therapy, though little is known about the underlying mechanisms. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN HL survivors (n = 197) and age-, sex- and race/ethnicity frequency-matched community controls (n = 199) underwent standardized neurocognitive testing, and serum collection. Luminex multiplex or ELISA assays measured markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Linear regression models compared biomarker concentrations between survivors and controls and with neurocognitive outcomes, adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, anti-inflammatory medication, and recent infections. RESULTS HL survivors [mean (SD) current age 36 (8) years, 22 (8) years after diagnosis] demonstrated higher concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL6), high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP), oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), compared with controls (P's < 0.001). Among survivors, higher concentrations of IL6 were associated with worse visuomotor processing speed (P = 0.046). hs-CRP ≥3 mg/L was associated with worse attention, processing speed, memory, and executive function (P's < 0.05). Higher concentrations of malondialdehyde were associated with worse focused attention and visual processing speed (P's < 0.05). Homocysteine was associated with worse short-term recall (P = 0.008). None of these associations were statistically significant among controls. Among survivors, hs-CRP partially mediated associations between cardiovascular or endocrine conditions and visual processing speed, whereas IL6 partially mediated associations between pulmonary conditions and visuomotor processing speed. CONCLUSIONS Neurocognitive function in long-term survivors of HL appears to be associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, both representing potential targets for future intervention trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnaLynn M. Williams
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Matthew J. Ehrhardt
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | | | | | - Nicholas S. Phillips
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Daniel A. Mulrooney
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Jamie E. Flerlage
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Yutaka Yasui
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Deokumar Srivastava
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Leslie L. Robison
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Melissa M. Hudson
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Kirsten K. Ness
- Departments of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Noah D. Sabin
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Kevin R. Krull
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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Bai J, Eldridge R, Houser M, Martin M, Powell C, Sutton KS, Noh HI, Wu Y, Olson T, Konstantinidis KT, Bruner DW. Multi-omics analysis of the gut microbiome and metabolites associated with the psychoneurological symptom cluster in children with cancer receiving chemotherapy. J Transl Med 2024; 22:256. [PMID: 38461265 PMCID: PMC10924342 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05066-1] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with cancer receiving chemotherapy commonly report a cluster of psychoneurological symptoms (PNS), including pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. The role of the gut microbiome and its functional metabolites in PNS is rarely studied among children with cancer. This study investigated the associations between the gut microbiome-metabolome pathways and PNS in children with cancer across chemotherapy as compared to healthy children. METHODS A case-control study was conducted. Cancer cases were recruited from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and healthy controls were recruited via flyers. Participants reported PNS using the Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. Data for cases were collected pre-cycle two chemotherapy (T0) and post-chemotherapy (T1), whereas data for healthy controls were collected once. Gut microbiome and its metabolites were measured using fecal specimens. Gut microbiome profiling was performed using 16S rRNA V4 sequencing, and metabolome was performed using an untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approach. A multi-omics network integration program analyzed microbiome-metabolome pathways of PNS. RESULTS Cases (n = 21) and controls (n = 14) had mean ages of 13.2 and 13.1 years. For cases at T0, PNS were significantly associated with microbial genera (e.g., Ruminococcus, Megasphaera, and Prevotella), which were linked with carnitine shuttle (p = 0.0003), fatty acid metabolism (p = 0.001) and activation (p = 0.001), and tryptophan metabolism (p = 0.008). Megasphaera, clustered with aspartate and asparagine metabolism (p = 0.034), carnitine shuttle (p = 0.002), and tryptophan (p = 0.019), was associated with PNS for cases at T1. Gut bacteria with potential probiotic functions, along with fatty acid metabolism, tryptophan, and carnitine shuttle, were more clustered in cancer cases than the control network and this linkage with PNS needs further studies. CONCLUSIONS Using multi-omics approaches, this study indicated specific microbiome-metabolome pathways linked with PNS in children with cancer across chemotherapy. Due to limitations such as antibiotic use in cancer cases, these findings need to be further confirmed in a larger cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbing Bai
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Ronald Eldridge
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Madelyn Houser
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Melissa Martin
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christie Powell
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kathryn S Sutton
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hye In Noh
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Yuhua Wu
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Thomas Olson
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Deborah W Bruner
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Oliveros A, Poleschuk M, Cole PD, Boison D, Jang MH. Chemobrain: An accelerated aging process linking adenosine A 2A receptor signaling in cancer survivors. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 170:267-305. [PMID: 37741694 PMCID: PMC10947554 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy has a significant positive impact in cancer treatment outcomes, reducing recurrence and mortality. However, many cancer surviving children and adults suffer from aberrant chemotherapy neurotoxic effects on learning, memory, attention, executive functioning, and processing speed. This chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) is referred to as "chemobrain" or "chemofog". While the underlying mechanisms mediating CICI are still unclear, there is strong evidence that chemotherapy accelerates the biological aging process, manifesting as effects which include telomere shortening, epigenetic dysregulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial defects, impaired neurogenesis, and neuroinflammation, all of which are known to contribute to increased anxiety and neurocognitive decline. Despite the increased prevalence of CICI, there exists a lack of mechanistic understanding by which chemotherapy detrimentally affects cognition in cancer survivors. Moreover, there are no approved therapeutic interventions for this condition. To address this gap in knowledge, this review attempts to identify how adenosine signaling, particularly through the adenosine A2A receptor, can be an essential tool to attenuate accelerated aging phenotypes. Importantly, the adenosine A2A receptor uniquely stands at the crossroads of cancer treatment and improved cognition, given that it is widely known to control tumor induced immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment, while also posited to be an essential regulator of cognition in neurodegenerative disease. Consequently, we propose that the adenosine A2A receptor may provide a multifaceted therapeutic strategy to enhance anticancer activity, while combating chemotherapy induced cognitive deficits, both which are essential to provide novel therapeutic interventions against accelerated aging in cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Oliveros
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Michael Poleschuk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Peter D Cole
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
| | - Mi-Hyeon Jang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
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Trapani JA, Murdaugh DL. Processing efficiency in pediatric cancer survivors: A review and operationalization for outcomes research and clinical utility. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2809. [PMID: 36330565 PMCID: PMC9759139 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Childhood cancer and cancer-related treatments disrupt brain development and maturation, placing survivors at risk for cognitive late effects. Given that assessment tools vary widely across researchers and clinicians, it has been daunting to identify distinct patterns in outcomes across diverse cancer types and to implement systematic neurocognitive screening tools. This review aims to operationalize processing efficiency skill impairment-or inefficient neural processing as measured by working memory and processing speed abilities-as a worthwhile avenue for continued study within the context of childhood cancer. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the existing research on cognitive late effects and biopsychosocial risk factors in order to conceptualize processing efficiency skill trends in childhood cancer survivors. RESULTS While a frequently reported pattern of neurobiological (white matter) and cognitive (working memory and processing speed) disruption is consistent with processing efficiency skill impairment, these weaknesses have not yet been fully operationalized in this population. We offer a theoretical model that highlights the impacts of a host of biological and environmental factors on the underlying neurobiological substrates of cancer survivors that precede and may even predict long-term cognitive outcomes and functional abilities following treatment. CONCLUSION The unified construct of processing efficiency may be useful in assessing and communicating neurocognitive skills in both outcomes research and clinical practice. Deficits in processing efficiency may serve as a possible indicator of cognitive late effects and functional outcomes due to the unique relationship between processing efficiency skills and neurobiological disruption following cancer treatment. Continued research along these lines is crucial for advancing childhood cancer outcomes research and improving quality of life for survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Trapani
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Donna L Murdaugh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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7
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Hardy KK, Hudson MM, Krull KR. Life-Altering Consequences of Neurocognitive Impairment in Survivors of Pediatric Cancer. J Clin Oncol 2021; 39:1693-1695. [PMID: 33886347 DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina K Hardy
- Neuropsychology Division, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC.,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.,Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Kevin R Krull
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.,Department of Psychology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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