Many adult survivors of pediatric CNS tumors do not achieve independence

"Survival rates have improved dramatically over the past several decades," Tara M. Brinkman, PhD, assistant faculty member in the department of epidemiology and cancer control at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, said in a press release. Using data from the St. Jude Lifetime Coho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHEM/ONC today Vol. 19; no. 22; pp. 94 - 95
Main Author Homer, Cassie
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Thorofare SLACK INCORPORATED 25.11.2018
Subjects
Age
Pediatrics
Quality of life
Researchers
Tumors
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Summary:"Survival rates have improved dramatically over the past several decades," Tara M. Brinkman, PhD, assistant faculty member in the department of epidemiology and cancer control at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, said in a press release. Using data from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study, Brinkman and colleagues assessed functional and social independence among 306 survivors (median age at time of study, 25.3 years; range, 18.953.1) of CNS tumors, including 130 with astrocytoma, 77 with medulloblastoma, 36 with ependymoma and 63 with other CNS tumors. "Future research is needed to understand the longitudinal trajectory of independence in survivors, as well as the effect of changes in frontline therapies on degree of independence," the researchers wrote. "Because survivors in this sample were a mean age of 26 years, they may acquire greater independence from their primary caregivers as they continue to transition through adulthood; however, with the heightened risk of developing chronic health conditions and frailty, survivors' independence also may be compromised as they age," they added. - by Cassie Homer ? "Screening for cognitive and physical performance deficits earlier in the course of survivorship will help us identify patients who may be on this trajectory toward nonindependence." -
ISSN:1526-0488