The results of this study indicate that a considerable number of former paediatric cancer patients suffer from remarkable long-term side-effects. Since life quality is an important parameter of cancer survival, careful follow-up of long-term survivors is mandatory with the aim to reduce or even abrogate possible side-effects at the earliest time.
Multimodality treatment approaches have dramatically improved the outcome of patients with intracranial germ cell tumors and are resulting in an increasing number of long‐term survivors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the development of side effects in children, adolescents and young adults after treatment for intracranial germ cell tumors. Nine patients with a median age of 14 y at diagnosis and a median follow‐up of 7.25 y underwent a detailed long‐term evaluation including physical and neuro‐ophthalmologic examinations, routine laboratory and endocrine stimulation tests, neuropsychometric testing, audiometry and spirometry at repeated intervals. Endocrine deficiencies requiring hormone replacement therapy occurred in all patients. Neuro‐ophthalmologic side effects were observed in 8 of the 9 patients, urinary electrolyte wasting in 4 of the 9, alopecia in 3 of the 9 and high‐frequency hearing loss in 2 of the 9. Neuropsychologic examinations revealed pathologic results in all five tested patients.
Conclusion: The present study indicates that former intracranial germ cell tumor patients suffer from remarkable long‐term side effects, and that some of these late effects can develop or worsen months or years after cessation of oncologic therapy. Since life quality is an important parameter of cancer survival, careful follow‐up of long‐term survivors is mandatory, aimed at counteracting side effects as early as possible and therefore at minimizing long‐term morbidity, which may considerably compromise quality of life.
The present study indicates that former intracranial germ cell tumor patients suffer from remarkable long-term side effects, and that some of these late effects can develop or worsen months or years after cessation of oncologic therapy. Since life quality is an important parameter of cancer survival, careful follow-up of long-term survivors is mandatory, aimed at counteracting side effects as early as possible and therefore at minimizing long-term morbidity, which may considerably compromise quality of life.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.