Family impact of neurodevelopmental late effects in survivors of pediatric cancer: review of research, clinical evidence, and future directions.
Children and adolescents who have survived childhood cancer are vulnerable to late effects of their disease and treatment experience, including both physical and psychological sequelae. The neurodevelopmental (ND) sequelae (e.g., difficulties with attention, memory, information processing, and other executive functions) faced by children surviving central nervous system (CNS) cancers or CNS treatments can have a range of effects on their psychological adjustment and quality of life as they reintegrate into school and social settings. Survivors facing such difficulties may be influenced by their family environment, and these struggles may in turn impact the perceived burden of their parents and family system, suggesting a bidirectional framework for understanding the impact of ND late effects within the family. The current study summarizes the following: Findings of family outcomes in children with ND late effects of cancer treatment; evaluation of methodological and measurement issues; the importance of examining bidirectional family-child influences; and implications for future survivorship research and clinical care addressing the role of ND late effects from a systems perspective.
Peterson
Catherine Cant
CC
Division of Behavioral Pediatrics and Psychology, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. catherine.peterson@uhhs.com
Drotar
Dennis
D
D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011584:Psychology / Q000639:trends*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*