title: Late effects and quality of life of childhood cancer survivors: Part 2. Impact of radiotherapy.
abstract: To examine the late effects and health-related quality of life of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) after radiotherapy (RT), we performed a cross-sectional survey using self-rating questionnaires. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: CCS treated with or without RT, and a general population matched for age, gender, residential area, and work status. The numbers in each group were 113, 72, and 1,000, respectively. The median ages of CCS at diagnosis and the time of the survey were 8 and 22 years, respectively. The mean final heights of males and females were significantly lower in CCS with RT than in the other 2 groups. Risk factors for a short stature were total body irradiation (TBI) [odds ratio (OR) 17.8, p < 0.001], spinal irradiation (OR 8.31, p = 0.033), and an age younger than 10 years at diagnosis. Late effects were observed in 68% of CCS with RT compared with 36% of CCS without RT. Multivariate analysis revealed that TBI was significantly associated with endocrine dysfunction (OR 12.3), skull and spinal irradiation with cognitive dysfunction (OR 16.1 and 11.5, respectively), and spinal irradiation with a short stature (OR 14.1), respectively. Physical dysfunction, psychological stress, and problems of social adaptation were observed in >50% of CCS with RT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. yaishida@luke.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamibeppu
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kakee
authors.forename: Tsuyako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozono
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asami
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: Misato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horibe
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D055815:Young Adult