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Survivors of pediatric embryonal tumors functioned well several years after diagnosis, treatment
Most survivors of pediatric embryonal tumors were doing well with regard to social functioning, especially in the first several years after diagnosis and treatment, according to results of a prospective longitudinal study.
Several factors, including treatment risk status and posterior fossa syndrome, may be key predictors of long-term social outcomes, the researchers said.
“Despite the longitudinal nature of our study, questions regarding the continued trajectory of social outcomes for this particular cohort of survivors remain unanswered,” Tara M. Brinkman, PhD, a research associate in the departments of epidemiology and cancer control psychology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and colleagues wrote. “Although the trajectory of social adjustment is beginning to be elucidated, information pertaining to social functioning during emerging adulthood is still needed.”
The researchers enrolled 220 patients for this multisite clinical treatment protocol. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 at the time of their child’s diagnosis and annually from then on.
During the 5 years after diagnosis and treatment, few parents reported that their children had clinically elevated scores on measures of social functioning. Although mean scores differed significantly from population norms, they remained within the average range.
Parents of patients with high-risk treatment status reported significantly more social problems (P=.001) and withdrawn/depressed behaviors (P=.01) over time compared with average-risk patients. In addition, patients with posterior fossa syndrome had more parent-reported social problems at baseline, as well as increasing social problems over time (P=.03).
“Our study provides important insights toward understanding factors associated with social functioning after diagnosis and treatment for a pediatric embryonal tumor,” Brinkman and colleagues wrote. “However, the broad behavioral constructs from the [Child Behavior Checklist] lack the specificity necessary to inform targeted intervention development.”
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