Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29372438›Full record

SynthesisQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2018

Health-related quality of life of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review.

J Vetsch, C E Wakefield, E G Robertson, T N Trahair, M K Mateos, M Grootenhuis, G M Marshall, R J Cohn, J E Fardell

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

41 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Mapping and comparing the quality of life outcomes in childhood and adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: an umbrella review and future directions.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Health utilities in pediatric cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis for clinical implementation.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2022
    Pooled it
  3. Health-related quality of life in paediatric patients up to five years post-treatment completion for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019
    Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Factors associated with health-related quality of life in survivors of childhood-onset and adult-onset cancer compared to controls.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Stem cell transplantation for ALL: you've always got a donor, why not always use it?Hematology. American Society of Hematology. Education Program · 2023
    Review
  18. Article
  19. Parent-reported health-related quality of life in pediatric childhood cancer survivors and factors associated with poor health-related quality of life in aftercare.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2023
    Observational
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

J VetschSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
C E WakefieldSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
E G RobertsonSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
T N TrahairSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
M K MateosSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
M GrootenhuisPsychosocial Department Emma Children's Hospital AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
G M MarshallSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
R J CohnSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
J E FardellSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, Australia. j.fardell@unsw.edu.au.

Funding

Cancer Council NSW PG16-02National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia APP1067501Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung P1LUP3_162120
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors are the largest group of childhood cancer survivors; however, their risk for late effects is high. Cancer-related late effects have the potential to compromise health-related quality of life (HRQL) long into survivorship. None of the reviews so far have focused on ALL solely, but described HRQL for all childhood cancers. We aimed to identify ALL survivors at risk for poor HRQL and identify possible risk factors.

methodFollowing PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic review, searching published literature in Pubmed, PsycInfo, Embase, and the Cochrane database including all publications up to December 16, 2016. Two independent reviewers (JV and ER) screened eligible articles and assessed article quality.

resultsWe found 31 studies representing 4356 survivors and 901 proxies. Thirteen studies found worse, eight found no difference, and three better, overall HRQL scores compared with healthy controls or norms. ALL survivors typically had better overall HRQL scores than survivors of other childhood cancers. Clinical variables (e.g., treatment received) were not consistently associated with HRQL; however, experiencing worse late effects was associated with lower HRQL. Survivor and parent socio-demographic factors and psychological factors such as resilience and depression were also associated with HRQL.

conclusionALL survivors appeared to have worse or equivalent HRQL compared with controls, but better HRQL than survivors of other cancer types. However, studies reported a wide variability in HRQL and potential risk factors for poor HRQL. Measuring ALL survivors' HRQL longitudinally and comprehensively assessing potential risk factors might identify future avenues to intervene early.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultCancer SurvivorsChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrecursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-LymphomaQuality of LifeYoung AdultAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaPediatric oncologyQuality of lifeSurvivorshipSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID29372438

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.