Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40553407›Full record

ArticleChild's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery2025

Neuropsychological outcome in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton radiation prior to age 4 years.

Tina Thomas, Mary E Witt, Casey L Evans, Julie A Grieco, Torunn I Yock, Margaret B Pulsifer

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Article in Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Tina ThomasDivision of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA. CTHOMAS2@childrensnational.org.
Mary E WittDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Casey L EvansDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Julie A GriecoDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Torunn I YockDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Margaret B PulsiferDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) treated with radiation at a very young age are at risk for adverse neuropsychological outcomes. This retrospective cross-sectional study examined outcomes and educational service utilization in 45 PBTS treated with proton radiation therapy (PRT) before age 4.

methodsPBTS and their parents were administered measures at ≥ 1 year post-PRT. Areas assessed: intelligence, emotional, behavioral, adaptive, and executive functioning. Age-based scores were compared to normative means, rates of impairment were calculated, and demographic/clinical factors and educational service utilization were examined.

resultsMedian age at PRT was 2.58 years. Median interval to follow-up was 2.42 years. All received daily anesthesia during PRT and most received focal PRT (88.9%), had infratentorial tumors (71.1%), received chemotherapy (62.2%), and had sensory/motor deficits (51.1%). All mean standard/T-scores were in the average range. However, mean scores were significantly different from normative data and rates of impairment were notably elevated in withdrawal, anxiety, activities of daily living, shifting, working memory, and adaptive skills. Mean scores and rates of impairment were significantly lower (fewer problems) in aggression and conduct problems. Scores were comparable to the norm in attention, hyperactivity, depression, social skills, inhibition, and emotional control. More than half (62.2%) received special education services/accommodations; patients with sensory/motor deficits received more services/accommodations. Gender, tumor location, chemotherapy, and socioeconomic status were not significantly related to outcome.

conclusionNeuropsychological outcomes for PBTS treated with PRT before age 4 are encouraging, although there are some areas of concern. Yearly screening, proactive intervention for executive/psychological/adaptive functioning, and special education services/accommodations are recommended.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsProton TherapyChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansInfantMaleNeuropsychological TestsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeNeuropsychological late effects of cancer treatmentPediatric brain tumorProton radiation

Identifiers

PMID40553407

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