Quality of life of adult survivors of germinomas treated with craniospinal irradiation.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the quality of life (QOL) of a group of patients treated for intracranial germinoma with biopsy followed by prophylactic whole-neuraxis radiation therapy.


METHODS
The Short-form-36 and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy QOL questionnaires were completed by 22 of 27 eligible adults treated with whole-neuraxis irradiation for biopsy-proven, marker-negative intracranial germinomas between 1976 and 1996. In addition, data were obtained regarding height and weight, medications, ability to work, and educational achievement.


RESULTS
The patients' QOL was generally good. All of the patients are in or have completed high school; nine are in or have completed college, and five have advanced degrees. Patients rated themselves lower on the physical composite scale of the Short-form-36 (average, 46 versus 54 in a normal population). On the mental composite scale, patients rated themselves more favorably than the normal population (average, 54 versus 49 in a normal population). Patients were normally proportioned for height and weight, but female patients tended to be short. Age at radiation did not correlate with QOL.


CONCLUSIONS
The QOL of adults treated for marker-negative germinoma with prophylactic whole-neuraxis irradiation is generally good. These data should serve as a benchmark for newer treatment protocols eliminating or reducing radiation.
Sutton
L N
LN
Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 19104, USA.
Radcliffe
J
J
Goldwein
J W
JW
Phillips
P
P
Janss
A J
AJ
Packer
R J
RJ
Zhao
H
H
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001827:Body Height / Q000528:radiation effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018237:Germinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome