Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors at Risk for Impaired Health-related Quality of Life

Eline J. Aukema, A. Y. Netteke Schouten-van Meeteren, Bob F. Last, Heleen Maurice-Stam, Martha A. Grootenhuis

This study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL)-mean scores and percentages at risk for impaired HRQOL in childhood brain tumor survivors (CBTS) and to explore differences between CBTS treated with surgery only (SO) versus CBTS treated with surgery and adjuvant therapy (SA). HRQOL was evaluated in 34 CBTS (mean age=14.7 y; mean time since the end of treatment=6.4 y) with the KIDSCREEN. Being at risk for impaired HRQOL was defined as a T-score ≥1 SD below the norm population mean. The total and the SA group, but not the SO group, had significantly lower mean scores than the Dutch norm population in the domains of "physical well-being," "psychological well-being," and "peers and social support." High percentages (35% to 53%) of both the SO and the SA groups appeared to be at risk for impaired HRQOL in the domains of "physical well-being," "moods and emotions," "peers and social support," and "bullying," compared to 16% in the norm population. In conclusion, although HRQOL in some domains appeared similar to the norm population, a considerable number of CBTS-reported impaired HRQOL in several other domains. It is recommended to systematically monitor HRQOL in CBTS regardless of the therapy applied.