Determinants of quality of life outcomes for survivors of pediatric brain tumors. Issue 9 (10th March 2017) - Barrera, Maru
Abstract: Introduction: To describe the quality of life (QOL) of pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs) prospectively and to identify potential medical, personal and family contextual factors associated with QOL. Methods: Ninety‐one PBTSs (8–16 years) who were off treatment and attending a regular classroom participated. Self‐ and caregiver‐proxy–reported on QOL at baseline, 2 and 8 months. At baseline, cognitive, executive function, attention and memory, medical and demographics information were attained. Results: Significant improvements over time in PBTS's emotional QOL were self‐ and proxy‐reported ( P < 0.01) and global QOL proxy‐reported ( P = 0.04). Receiving cranial irradiation therapy (CIT) and poor behavioral regulation predicted poor global QOL scores reported by both informants ( P < 0.017). Poor behavioral regulation also predicted poor self‐reported school functioning, and poor proxy‐reported emotional and social QOL ( P < 0.037). Boys reported better emotional QOL ( P = 0.029), and PBTSs over 11 years old were reported to have better emotion and school‐related QOL. Finally, being non‐White and having low income predicted poor self‐reported global and emotional QOL ( P = 0.041). Conclusions: Receiving CIT, having poor behavioral regulation, being a female, under 11 years old and coming from low‐income, non‐White families place PBTSs at risk for poor QOL.