title: Health-related quality of life in Japanese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during and after chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality of life (QOL) as a treatment outcome has not yet been evaluated among patients receiving a specific treatment regimen by treatment phase in a consistent manner. This exploratory cross-sectional study evaluated the QOL of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving one of the most popular treatment regimens in Japan (Japan Association of Childhood Leukemia Study ALL-02 revised protocol).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 5-18 years with newly diagnosed B-cell precursor ALL were included. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL-J) were completed by children with ALL and their siblings, as well as by age- and sex-matched healthy controls. PedsQL Cancer Module (PedsQL-C) scores were also collected from children with ALL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL in children with ALL of the consolidation phase group was significantly decreased compared with that of healthy controls, except in the area of emotional functioning. Regarding the maintenance phase group, QOL impairment was noted in the physical and school functioning, but no differences were noted in social functioning. The off-treatment group had a large effect size only for physical functioning, and the social functioning score was even better in children with ALL than in matched controls. QOL of children with ALL differed with treatment phase. Effect size varied with function and treatment phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL may change with the progression of treatment, and the timing of these changes varied according to function and problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health Nursing, St Luke's International University Graduate School of Nursing Science, Chuo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Quality and Safety Science, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno, Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakagami-Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Souichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Children's Medical Cancer Osaka City General Hospital, Toshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno, Japan.
authors.forename: Sadao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tokimasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Higashitoyonaka Watanabe Hospital, Toyonaka City, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashii
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rikiishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Takashima Municipal Hospital, Takashima, Shiga, Japan.
authors.forename: Machiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.affiliation: Aichi Children's Health and Medical Cancer, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kikuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.affiliation: Nakano Children's Hospital, Asahi, Japan.
authors.forename: Urara
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kohdera
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamibeppu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, Kita, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.affiliation: Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hori
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Japan; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; cancer treatment protocol; pediatrics; quality of life