TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuropsychological performance and quality of life of 10 year survivors of childhood medulloblastoma
AU - Maddrey, Ann M.
AU - Bergeron, Jon A.
AU - Lombardo, Elizabeth R.
AU - McDonald, Noelle K.
AU - Mulne, Arlynn F.
AU - Barenberg, Paul D.
AU - Bowers, Daniel C.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Joelyn Howard for assistance in manuscript preparation. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of patients. The authors thank the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation of the Southwest, Annette Strauss Center for Neuro-Oncology, Children’s Cancer Fund of Dallas, and the Blumenthal Foundation for their financial contributions.
PY - 2005/5
Y1 - 2005/5
N2 - Purpose: Survivors of medulloblastoma, the most frequently occurring malignant brain tumor of childhood, suffer neuropsychological damage in the first decade after diagnosis. Cognitive performance, psychosocial functioning and quality of life were assessed in medulloblastoma survivors in the second decade after diagnosis. Methods: Ten year survivors were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychological tests, and self-report questionnaires regarding quality of life and emotional functioning. Clinical variables examined included the patient's age at diagnosis, duration since diagnosis, treatment, and complications. Results: Sixteen medulloblastoma survivors [mean age at diagnosis: 7.2 years, range: 1-15 years; 6 males] were tested at a mean age of 22.2 years [range: 13.6-27.9 years]. All survivors had been treated with craniospinal radiation therapy; nine were treated with chemotherapy. Significant impairments were identified in more than 50 of survivors on tests within all neuropsychological domains, including attention, memory, visuospatial abilities, motor functioning, language, and executive functioning. Significant impairments were also identified in all psychosocial domains examined, including employment, ability to drive an automobile, participation in normal education, independent living, and dating history. Most importantly, quality of life scores, reported by both survivors and their caretakers, were in the normal range. Conclusion: Survivors of childhood medulloblastoma frequently suffer severe persistent deficits in a wide-range of neuropsychological functional domains. Nevertheless, survivors and their families do not report impaired quality of life. These severe neuropsychological and psychosocial deficiencies justify further attempts to reduce or delay the use of craniospinal radiation therapy for childhood medulloblastoma.
AB - Purpose: Survivors of medulloblastoma, the most frequently occurring malignant brain tumor of childhood, suffer neuropsychological damage in the first decade after diagnosis. Cognitive performance, psychosocial functioning and quality of life were assessed in medulloblastoma survivors in the second decade after diagnosis. Methods: Ten year survivors were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychological tests, and self-report questionnaires regarding quality of life and emotional functioning. Clinical variables examined included the patient's age at diagnosis, duration since diagnosis, treatment, and complications. Results: Sixteen medulloblastoma survivors [mean age at diagnosis: 7.2 years, range: 1-15 years; 6 males] were tested at a mean age of 22.2 years [range: 13.6-27.9 years]. All survivors had been treated with craniospinal radiation therapy; nine were treated with chemotherapy. Significant impairments were identified in more than 50 of survivors on tests within all neuropsychological domains, including attention, memory, visuospatial abilities, motor functioning, language, and executive functioning. Significant impairments were also identified in all psychosocial domains examined, including employment, ability to drive an automobile, participation in normal education, independent living, and dating history. Most importantly, quality of life scores, reported by both survivors and their caretakers, were in the normal range. Conclusion: Survivors of childhood medulloblastoma frequently suffer severe persistent deficits in a wide-range of neuropsychological functional domains. Nevertheless, survivors and their families do not report impaired quality of life. These severe neuropsychological and psychosocial deficiencies justify further attempts to reduce or delay the use of craniospinal radiation therapy for childhood medulloblastoma.
KW - Adult survivors
KW - Executive functioning
KW - Medulloblastoma
KW - Neuropsychology
KW - Quality of life
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U2 - 10.1007/s11060-004-3009-z
DO - 10.1007/s11060-004-3009-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 15937648
AN - SCOPUS:20944442354
SN - 0167-594X
VL - 72
SP - 245
EP - 253
JO - Journal of Neuro-Oncology
JF - Journal of Neuro-Oncology
IS - 3
ER -