Behavioral and educational limitations after chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Wilms tumor

Annemieke I Buizer; Leo M J de Sonneville; Marry M van den Heuvel-Eibrink; Anjo J P Veerman

doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820

Behavioral and educational limitations after chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Wilms tumor

Annemieke I Buizer, Leo M J de Sonneville, Marry M van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Anjo J P Veerman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

99 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The improved prognosis of childhood cancer makes monitoring of functional outcome important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral and educational functioning in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or a Wilms tumor. In this study, children with ALL received central nervous system directed chemotherapy without cranial irradiation.

METHODS: In a multicenter study, behavioral functioning and school performance was examined in 199 children age 4 to 18. Sixty-four children were at least 1 year from finishing treatment with chemotherapy for ALL (n = 28) or a Wilms tumor (n = 36). They were compared with siblings (n = 37) and with a control group of healthy schoolchildren (n = 98).

RESULTS: A moderately increased risk of behavioral and educational problems was found in children with ALL but not in children with Wilms tumor. School performance was poorer in children with ALL attending primary school compared with same-age peers; however, the rate of utilization of special education services was low. Teacher-rated behavior and mathematics performance was correlated with attention function in children with ALL. An excess of problem behavior and underperformance at school was found in the ALL high-risk group compared with the standard-risk group. No differences were found between siblings and controls.

CONCLUSION: Evidence is provided of subtle but significant behavioral and educational problems in survivors of childhood ALL, but no dysfunctions in survivors of a Wilms tumor. Careful follow-up of children with ALL treated with chemotherapy only is warranted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2067-75
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cancer
Volume	106
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2006

Keywords

Adolescent
Child
Child Behavior Disorders/etiology
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Kidney Neoplasms/psychology
Learning Disorders/etiology
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy
Wilms Tumor/psychology

Access to Document

https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820

Cite this

@article{96d365f521f44c1d998d0cccb293f677,

title = "Behavioral and educational limitations after chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Wilms tumor",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: The improved prognosis of childhood cancer makes monitoring of functional outcome important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral and educational functioning in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or a Wilms tumor. In this study, children with ALL received central nervous system directed chemotherapy without cranial irradiation.METHODS: In a multicenter study, behavioral functioning and school performance was examined in 199 children age 4 to 18. Sixty-four children were at least 1 year from finishing treatment with chemotherapy for ALL (n = 28) or a Wilms tumor (n = 36). They were compared with siblings (n = 37) and with a control group of healthy schoolchildren (n = 98).RESULTS: A moderately increased risk of behavioral and educational problems was found in children with ALL but not in children with Wilms tumor. School performance was poorer in children with ALL attending primary school compared with same-age peers; however, the rate of utilization of special education services was low. Teacher-rated behavior and mathematics performance was correlated with attention function in children with ALL. An excess of problem behavior and underperformance at school was found in the ALL high-risk group compared with the standard-risk group. No differences were found between siblings and controls.CONCLUSION: Evidence is provided of subtle but significant behavioral and educational problems in survivors of childhood ALL, but no dysfunctions in survivors of a Wilms tumor. Careful follow-up of children with ALL treated with chemotherapy only is warranted.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Child, Child Behavior Disorders/etiology, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Kidney Neoplasms/psychology, Learning Disorders/etiology, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy, Wilms Tumor/psychology",

author = "Buizer, {Annemieke I} and {de Sonneville}, {Leo M J} and {van den Heuvel-Eibrink}, {Marry M} and Veerman, {Anjo J P}",

year = "2006",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820",

language = "English",

volume = "106",

pages = "2067--75",

journal = "Cancer",

issn = "0008-543X",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

number = "9",

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T1 - Behavioral and educational limitations after chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Wilms tumor

AU - Buizer, Annemieke I

AU - de Sonneville, Leo M J

AU - van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M

AU - Veerman, Anjo J P

PY - 2006/5/1

Y1 - 2006/5/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: The improved prognosis of childhood cancer makes monitoring of functional outcome important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral and educational functioning in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or a Wilms tumor. In this study, children with ALL received central nervous system directed chemotherapy without cranial irradiation.METHODS: In a multicenter study, behavioral functioning and school performance was examined in 199 children age 4 to 18. Sixty-four children were at least 1 year from finishing treatment with chemotherapy for ALL (n = 28) or a Wilms tumor (n = 36). They were compared with siblings (n = 37) and with a control group of healthy schoolchildren (n = 98).RESULTS: A moderately increased risk of behavioral and educational problems was found in children with ALL but not in children with Wilms tumor. School performance was poorer in children with ALL attending primary school compared with same-age peers; however, the rate of utilization of special education services was low. Teacher-rated behavior and mathematics performance was correlated with attention function in children with ALL. An excess of problem behavior and underperformance at school was found in the ALL high-risk group compared with the standard-risk group. No differences were found between siblings and controls.CONCLUSION: Evidence is provided of subtle but significant behavioral and educational problems in survivors of childhood ALL, but no dysfunctions in survivors of a Wilms tumor. Careful follow-up of children with ALL treated with chemotherapy only is warranted.

AB - BACKGROUND: The improved prognosis of childhood cancer makes monitoring of functional outcome important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioral and educational functioning in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or a Wilms tumor. In this study, children with ALL received central nervous system directed chemotherapy without cranial irradiation.METHODS: In a multicenter study, behavioral functioning and school performance was examined in 199 children age 4 to 18. Sixty-four children were at least 1 year from finishing treatment with chemotherapy for ALL (n = 28) or a Wilms tumor (n = 36). They were compared with siblings (n = 37) and with a control group of healthy schoolchildren (n = 98).RESULTS: A moderately increased risk of behavioral and educational problems was found in children with ALL but not in children with Wilms tumor. School performance was poorer in children with ALL attending primary school compared with same-age peers; however, the rate of utilization of special education services was low. Teacher-rated behavior and mathematics performance was correlated with attention function in children with ALL. An excess of problem behavior and underperformance at school was found in the ALL high-risk group compared with the standard-risk group. No differences were found between siblings and controls.CONCLUSION: Evidence is provided of subtle but significant behavioral and educational problems in survivors of childhood ALL, but no dysfunctions in survivors of a Wilms tumor. Careful follow-up of children with ALL treated with chemotherapy only is warranted.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Child

KW - Child Behavior Disorders/etiology

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Kidney Neoplasms/psychology

KW - Learning Disorders/etiology

KW - Male

KW - Neuropsychological Tests

KW - Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy

KW - Wilms Tumor/psychology

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820

DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21820

M3 - Article

C2 - 16568441

SN - 0008-543X

VL - 106

SP - 2067

EP - 2075

JO - Cancer

JF - Cancer

IS - 9

ER -