TY - JOUR
T1 - Neurocognitive function and health-related quality of life in a nationwide cohort of long-term childhood brain tumor survivors
AU - Helligsø, Anne Sophie Lind
AU - Henriksen, Louise Tram
AU - Kenborg, Line
AU - Lassen, Yasmin Alexandra
AU - Wu, Lisa Maria
AU - Winther, Jeanette Falck
AU - Hasle, Henrik
AU - Amidi , Ali
PY - 2023/4/1
Y1 - 2023/4/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Childhood brain tumor survivors are at high risk of late effects, especially neurocognitive impairment. Limited data are available examining neurocognitive function and associations with quality of life (QoL) in childhood brain tumor survivors. Our aim was to examine neurocognitive function in childhood brain tumor survivors, and associations with QoL and symptom burden.METHODS: Five-year survivors of brain tumors over the age of 15 were identified in the Danish Childhood Cancer Registry (
n = 423). Eligible and consenting participants completed neuropsychological tests and questionnaires assessing QoL, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Survivors treated with radiation (
n = 59) were statistically compared with survivors not treated with radiation (
n = 102).
RESULTS: In total, 170 survivors participated (40.2% participation rate). Sixty-six percent of the survivors who completed neurocognitive tests (
n = 161) exhibited overall neurocognitive impairment. Survivors treated with radiation, especially whole-brain irradiation, exhibited poorer neurocognitive outcomes than survivors not treated with radiation. Neurocognitive outcomes for survivors treated with surgery were below normative expectations. Furthermore, a number of survivors experienced significant fatigue (40%), anxiety (23%), insomnia (13%), and/or depression (6%). Survivors treated with radiation reported lower quality of life (QoL) and higher symptom burden scores than survivors not treated with radiation; particularly in physical functioning, and social functioning with symptoms of fatigue. Neurocognitive impairment was not associated with QoL or symptom burden.
CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a majority of the childhood brain tumor survivors experienced neurocognitive impairment, reduced QoL, and high symptom burden. Although not associated with each other, it is apparent that childhood brain tumor survivors experience not only neurocognitive dysfunction but may also experience QoL impairments and significant symptom burden.
AB - BACKGROUND: Childhood brain tumor survivors are at high risk of late effects, especially neurocognitive impairment. Limited data are available examining neurocognitive function and associations with quality of life (QoL) in childhood brain tumor survivors. Our aim was to examine neurocognitive function in childhood brain tumor survivors, and associations with QoL and symptom burden.METHODS: Five-year survivors of brain tumors over the age of 15 were identified in the Danish Childhood Cancer Registry (
n = 423). Eligible and consenting participants completed neuropsychological tests and questionnaires assessing QoL, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Survivors treated with radiation (
n = 59) were statistically compared with survivors not treated with radiation (
n = 102).
RESULTS: In total, 170 survivors participated (40.2% participation rate). Sixty-six percent of the survivors who completed neurocognitive tests (
n = 161) exhibited overall neurocognitive impairment. Survivors treated with radiation, especially whole-brain irradiation, exhibited poorer neurocognitive outcomes than survivors not treated with radiation. Neurocognitive outcomes for survivors treated with surgery were below normative expectations. Furthermore, a number of survivors experienced significant fatigue (40%), anxiety (23%), insomnia (13%), and/or depression (6%). Survivors treated with radiation reported lower quality of life (QoL) and higher symptom burden scores than survivors not treated with radiation; particularly in physical functioning, and social functioning with symptoms of fatigue. Neurocognitive impairment was not associated with QoL or symptom burden.
CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a majority of the childhood brain tumor survivors experienced neurocognitive impairment, reduced QoL, and high symptom burden. Although not associated with each other, it is apparent that childhood brain tumor survivors experience not only neurocognitive dysfunction but may also experience QoL impairments and significant symptom burden.
KW - childhood brain tumor survivors
KW - health-related quality of life
KW - neurocognition
KW - symptom burden
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187871205&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/nop/npac085
DO - 10.1093/nop/npac085
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36970169
SN - 2054-2577
VL - 10
SP - 140
EP - 151
JO - Neuro-Oncology Practice
JF - Neuro-Oncology Practice
IS - 2
ER -