title: Health-related quality of life in young survivors of childhood cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood cancer and its treatment may affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in childhood cancer survivors, but population-based studies in young survivors are scarce. We aimed to: (1) compare HRQoL between young survivors and population norms and (2) find factors that influence parent-reported HRQoL in survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a questionnaire was mailed to parents of survivors aged 8-16 years, registered in the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry, ≥5 years after diagnosis. We used the KIDSCREEN-27 instrument to compare self- and parent-reported HRQoL between survivors (N = 425) and standardized norms in the five dimensions of physical well-being, psychological well-being, autonomy, peers and school environment (mean = 50, SD = 10). We then used multivariable linear regressions to test the influence of socio-demographic and cancer-related factors on HRQoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-reported physical well-being was comparable to norms. Other HRQoL dimensions were higher than norms, with the highest mean = 52.2 (p < 0.001) for school environment. Parent-reported HRQoL in survivors was comparable to population norms; only physical well-being was lower (mean = 47.1, p < 0.001), and school environment was higher (mean = 51.1, p = 0.035). Parent-reported HRQoL was lower for survivors of CNS tumors (physical well-being: β = -5.27, p = 0.007; psychological well-being: β = -4.39, p = 0.044; peers β = -5.17, p = 0.028), survivors of neuroblastoma (psychological well-being β = -5.20, p = 0.047), and survivors who had had a relapse (physical well-being β = -5.41, p = 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessing HRQoL during follow-up care, with a focus on physical well-being, specific diagnoses (e.g., CNS tumor) and late complications (e.g., relapse) might help to early identify problems and offer support to survivors with reduced HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Finkenhubelweg 11, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wengenroth
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gianinazzi
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rueegg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lüer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergstraesser
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kuehni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Michel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012042:Registries; D057566:Self Report; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*