title: Neurocognitive and Psychological Functioning of Children with an Intracranial Germ Cell Tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to investigate the neurocognitive functioning of children with intracranial germ cell tumor (IGCT) prior to receiving proton beam therapy (PBT), and to identify differential characteristics of their neurocognitive functioning depending on tumor location. As a secondary object of this study, neurocognitive functions were followed up at 1-2 years after PBT to examine early post-treatment changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2008 and 2014, 34 childrenwith IGCT treatedwho received PBT atNational Cancer Center, Korea were enrolled in this study. Standardized neurocognitive tests of intelligence, memory, and executive functioning were performed with baseline psychological assessments using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Follow-up assessments after PBT were conducted in 20 patients (T2). The results were analyzed based on the locations of tumors, which included the suprasellar, pineal gland, basal ganglia, and bifocal regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The neurocognitive function of IGCT patients was significantly lower than that of the normal population in performance intelligence quotient (p=0.041), processing speed (p=0.007), memory (p < 0.001), and executive functioning (p=0.010). Patients with basal ganglia tumors had significantly lower scores for most domains of neurocognitive functioning and higher scores for CBCL than both the normal population and patients with IGCT in other locations. There was no significant change in neurocognitive function between T1 and T2 for all types of IGCT patients in first 1-2 years after PBT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumor location significantly affects the neuropsychological functioning in patients with IGCT. Neuropsychological functioning should be closely monitored from the time of diagnosis in IGCT patients.
authors.affiliation: Proton Therapy Center, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Younghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Seung
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Proton Therapy Center, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Boram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Center for Pediatric Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Heun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Proton Therapy Center, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Center for Pediatric Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Brain neoplasms; Cognitive function; Germ cell tumor