The cross-sectional and multi-institutional study of neurocognitive complications in treated children with brain tumor

Abstract

  Objective: We aimed to determine the extent to which neurocognitive assessment can be performed in the current clinical situation in Japan and assessment tools that are necessary and sufficient for correct evaluation. Methods: Patients at facilities of the Brain Tumor Committee of the Japan Children's Cancer Group, in which many comedies can collaborate to benefit patients with neurocognitive impairment, participated. The participation criteria were 1) age of 5-18 years and 2) no recurrence for >2 years from initial onset. Results: Fifty children were recruited from 8 medical facilities. The mean ages were 12.4 years at the time of the study and 6.6 years at tumor detection. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were administered in 86% and 98% of the cases, respectively. WISC-IV/WAIS-III and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) were completed by 47 participants. The Full-Scale IQ and PedsQL scores of patients and their parents were lower than those of healthy controls. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was completed by 41 parents and 25 patients. Compared to the evaluations of the parents of healthy children, those of patients' parents showed more difficulties in “emotional symptoms,” “peer problems,” and “total difficulties scores” ; the latter was strongly correlated with PedsQL scores. Conclusions: To increase the number of institutions where appropriate neurocognitive assessments can be performed, a systematic follow-up system must be developed in which pediatricians, brain surgeons, psychiatrists, rehabilitation doctors, paramedical staff including nurses and psychologists, and rehabilitation therapists can collaborate and share patient information.