Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Survivors of childhood brain tumors (BT) are at high risk for long-term physical and psychological sequelae. Still, knowledge about health-related quality of life (HRQL) and associated factors in this population is sparse. This study investigated HRQL and its predictors in long-term survivors of childhood BT.
Methods
Survivors of childhood BT (mean age = 28.1 years, SD = 6.8, n = 60) underwent clinical examination and neurocognitive examination, and completed self-rating questionnaires assessing HRQL (RAND-36) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II). Socio-demographic information was gathered via a questionnaire. Tumor- and treatment-related information was collected from medical records. Control group data were collected from age-matched controls (n = 146) without a history of cancer, randomly selected from the local population registry. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate predictors of HRQL; separate models were fitted for each domain of the RAND-36.
Results
Male survivors (mean age = 27.0, SD = 6.0, n = 39) reported significantly lower HRQL than male controls in the domains of physical functioning, general health, vitality, social functioning, and role limitations-emotional. Female survivors (mean age = 30.2 years, SD = 7.6, n = 21) reported comparable levels as female controls in all domains except physical functioning. A higher burden of late effects, not working/studying, being diagnosed with BT during adolescence, and reporting current depressive symptoms were significant predictors of lower HRQL.
Conclusion
Our results highlight that male survivors of childhood BT are at particular risk of impaired HRQL. Also, results point to the close relation between symptoms of depression and impaired HRQL in survivors of childhood BT which should be acknowledged by long-term follow-up care.
Funder
Special State Grants for Health Research in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital, Finland
Väre Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research, Finland
The Foundation of Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg
The Foundation of Arvo and Lea Ylppö, Finland
The Foundation for Pediatric Research, Finland
The Foundation of Emil Aaltonen, Finland
The Cancer Society of Finland
The Foundation of Thelma Mäkikyrö, Finland
The Cancer Foundation of Northern Finland
The Aamu Finnish Childhood Cancer Foundation
Stiftelsen Alma och K. A. Snellman Säätiö
The Foundation of Märta Donner, Finland
Barncancerfonden
Uppsala University
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Cited by
10 articles.
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