AIM: To investigate the impact on quality of life (QoL) of medical complications, adjuvant treatment, cognitive function, gender and age at diagnosis 5 or more years after the initial treatment for brain tumour in childhood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 66 children were included, 41 girls and 25 boys, 43 with benign and 23 with malignant tumours. All have completed a comprehensive neuropsychological and psychosocial evaluation 5 years after end of treatment, included answering the questionnaire Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), both children and parents. RESULTS: Children who had benign tumours, but who had medical complications after the initial operation (SC), reported significantly (p , 0.05) more problems compared to those who had an operation only (SO), on all PedsQL dimensions. Children who had adjuvant treatment (SA) reported significantly (p , 0.05) more problems compared to children who had surgery only on the physical, social, and school dimensions, but not on the emotional dimension on PedsQL. No significant differences were found between the groups with medical complications and adjuvant treatment. The parents' ratings on PedsQL did not differ significantly from the children's. There were no significant differences between the three groups with regards to IQ, age at diagnosis and gender. CONCLUSION: Having a childhood benign tumour that needs medical treatment after the operation, has a significant impact on quality of life, long after treatment is completed, equal to having a malignant tumour needing adjuvant treatment. Factors as IQ, gender and age at diagnosis are less influential.
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