Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Health-related quality of life among paediatric survivors of primary brain tumours and acute leukaemia

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Comparative assessment of the HRQL of paediatric survivors of brain tumours (BT) and of acute leukaemia against a population of their healthy peers.

Methods

The study consisted of patients who had completed treatment for BT (n = 36) or acute leukaemia (n = 35) and were aged between 8 and 19. Healthy children (n = 60) were selected from among pupils of schools. HRQL was evaluated directly and indirectly on the basis of the Polish language version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core scales. The influence of selected factors (sex, age, time from the end of treatment and type of treatment) on the HRQL result was analysed.

Results

In all the aspects analysed (total, physical, psychosocial, emotional, social and school functioning), the HRQL of BT and leukaemia survivors was significantly lower in comparison to their healthy peers. The HRQL of patients after BT treatment was also significantly lower than that of the survivors of leukaemia. The parent-proxy reported HRQL was consistent with the children’s self-assessment. Patients treated with radiotherapy presented a significantly lower evaluation of life quality in the physical sphere.

Conclusions

Evaluation of HRQL should be treated as an additional independent parameter in an assessment of the long-term results of oncological treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ALL:

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ANLL:

Acute non lymphoblastic leukaemia

BT:

Brain tumour

CNS:

Central nervous system

Gy:

Gray

HRQL:

Health-related quality of life

PNET:

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour

References

  1. Gurney, J. G., Smith, M. A., Bunin, G. R. (1999). CNS and miscellaneous intracranial and intraspinal neoplasms. In L. A. G. Ries, M. A. Smith, J. G. Gurney, et al. (Eds.), Cancer Incidence and Survival among Children and Adolescents: United States SEER Program 1975–1995 (pp. 51–64). Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, SEER Program. NIH Pub. No. 99-4649.

  2. Ries, L. A. G., Eisner, M. P., Kosary, C. L., Hankey, B. F., Miller, B. A., Clegg, L., et al. (2004). SEER cancer statistics review, 1975–2002. http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2002/. Posted to the SEER web site 2005.

  3. Mertens, A. C., Yasui, Y., Neglia, J. P., Potter, J. D., Nesbit, M. E., Jr., Ruccione, K., et al. (2001). Late mortality experience in five-year survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 19(13), 3163–3172.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Moller, T. R., Garwicz, S., Barlow, L., Falck Winther, J., Glattre, E., Olafsdottir, G., et al. (2001). Decreasing late mortality among five-year survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence: A population-based study in the Nordic countries. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 19(13), 3173–3181.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Meeske, K., Katz, E. R., Palmer, S. N., Burwinkle, T., & Varni, J. W. (2004). Parent proxy-reported health-related quality of life and fatigue in pediatric patients diagnosed with brain tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer, 101, 2116–2125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Speechley, K. N., Barrera, M., Shaw, A. K., Morrison, H. I., & Maunsell, E. (2006). Health-related quality of life among child and adolescent survivors of childhood cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 24, 2536–2543.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bhat, S. R., Goodwin, T. L., Burwinkle, T. M., Lansdale, M. F., Dahl, G. V., Huhn, S. L., et al. (2005). Profile of daily life in children with brain tumors: An assessment of health-related quality of life. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23, 5493–5500.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Russell, K. M., Hudson, M., Long, A., & Phipps, S. (2006). Assessment of health-related quality of life in children with cancer: Consistency and agreement between parent and child reports. Cancer, 106, 2267–2274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Eiser, C., Vance, Y. H., Horne, B., Glaser, A., & Galvin, H. (2003). The value of the PedsQLTM in assessing quality of life in survivors of childhood cancer. Child: Care, Health and Development, 29(2), 95–102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shankar, S., Robison, L., Jenney, M. E., Rockwood, T. H., Wu, E., Feusner, J., et al. (2005). Health-related quality of life in young survivors of childhood cancer using the Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life-Youth Form. Pediatrics, 115, 435–442.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cardarelli, C., Cereda, C., Masiero, L., Viscardi, E., Faggin, R., Laverda, A., et al. (2006). Evaluation of health status and health-related quality of life in a cohort of Italian children following treatment for a primary brain tumor. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 46, 637–644.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Pickard, A. S., Topfer, L. A., & Feeny, D. H. (2004). A structured review of studies on health related quality of life and economic evaluation in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, 33, 102–125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Foreman, N. K., Faestel, P. M., Pearson, J., Disabato, J., Poole, M., Wilkening, G., et al. (1999). Health status in 52 long-term survivors of pediatric brain tumors. Journal of Neurooncology, 41, 47–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Meeske, K. A., Patel, S. K., Palmer, S. N., Nelson, M. B., & Parow, A. M. (2007). Factors associated with health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 49, 298–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Varni, J. W., Burwinkle, T. M., Katz, E. R., Meeske, K., & Dickinson, P. (2002). The PedsQL in pediatric cancer: Reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales, Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and Cancer Module. Cancer, 94, 2090–2106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Varni, J. W., Seid, M., & Kurtin, P. S. (2001). PedsQL 4.0: Reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 generic core scales in healthy and patient populations. Medical Care, 39, 800–812.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Varni, J. W., Burwinkle, T. M., & Seid, M. (2006). The PedsQL 4.0 as a school population health measure: Feasibility, reliability, and validity. Quality of Life Research, 15, 203–215.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Palmer, S. N., Meeske, K. A., Katz, E. R., Burwinkle, T. M., & Varni, J. W. (2007). The PedsQL brain tumor module: Initial reliability and validity. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 49(3), 287–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Varni, J. W., Katz, E. R., Colegrove, R., Jr, & Dolgin, M. (1993). The impact of social skills training on the adjustment of children with newly diagnosed cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 18(6), 751–767.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Kavale, K. A., & Forness, S. R. (1996). Social skills deficits and learning disabilities: A metaanalysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(3), 226–237.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Upton, P., Lawford, J., & Eiser, C. (2008). Parent–child agreement across child health-related quality of life instruments: A review of the literature. Quality of Life Research, 17(6), 895–913.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Varni, J. W., Seid, M., & Rode, C. A. (1999). The PedsQL: Measurement model for the pediatric quality of life inventory. Medical Care, 37(2), 126–139.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Bastiaansen, D., Koot, H. M., Bongers, I. L., Varni, J. W., & Verhulst, F. C. (2004). Measuring quality of life in children referred for psychiatric problems: Psychometric properties of the PedsQL 4.0 generic core scales. Quality of Life Research, 13(2), 489–495.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Aarsen, F. K., Paquier, P. F., Reddingius, R. E., Streng, I. C., Arts, W. F., Evera-Preesman, M., et al. (2006). Functional outcome after low-grade astrocytoma treatment in childhood. Cancer, 106, 396–402.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Maunsell, E., Pogany, L., Barrera, M., Shaw, A. K., & Speechley, K. N. (2006). Quality of life among long-term adolescent and adult survivors of childhood cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 24, 2527–2535.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Szaflarski, M., & Cubbins, L. A. (2004). Self-reported health in Poland and the United States: A comparative analysis of demographic, family and socioeconomic influences. Health (London), 8(1), 5–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Ross, C. E., & Wu, C. L. (1996). Education, age, and the cumulative advantage in health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 37(1), 104–120.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Mulhern, R. K., & Butler R. W. (2004). Neurocognitive sequelae of childhood cancers and their treatment. Pediatric Rehabilitation, 7(1), 1–14 (discussion 15–16).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Luttjeboer, M., & Kaspers, G. J. (2006). Medulloblastoma: Need for targeted treatment. Expert Reviews of Anticancer Therapy, 6(5), 649–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Pui, C. H., Robison, L. L., & Look, A. T. (2008). Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Lancet, 371(9617), 1030–1043.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The Quality of Life study described in this paper was carried out using the PedsQL™, developed by Dr. James W. Varni. The Authors thank also anonymous Reviewers for their effort to improve the quality of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, ul. Curie-Skłodowskiej 9, 85-094, Bydgoszcz, Poland

    Monika Pogorzala, Jan Styczynski, Andrzej Kurylak, Robert Debski, Magdalena Wojtkiewicz & Mariusz Wysocki

Authors
  1. Monika Pogorzala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jan Styczynski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andrzej Kurylak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert Debski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Magdalena Wojtkiewicz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mariusz Wysocki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Monika Pogorzala.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pogorzala, M., Styczynski, J., Kurylak, A. et al. Health-related quality of life among paediatric survivors of primary brain tumours and acute leukaemia. Qual Life Res 19, 191–198 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9580-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9580-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation