Late Effects of Childhood Cancer, Participation, and Quality of Life of Adolescents

Abstract

This study investigated the late effects of childhood cancer on participation and quality of life. Ninety-two percent of survivors (9 to 18 years of age) reported living with late effects of lower extremity pain and numbness, memory and attention deficits, and fatigue, depression, or both. Semistructured interviews with 25 survivors using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Adolescent Activity Card Sort captured frequencies, interests, and barriers for a range of activities. Survivors reported diminished engagement in vigorous leisure activities, chores, and community activities. Lower engagement in social activities was correlated with lower quality of life scores, as measured by the Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory-32. Despite these findings of significant cognitive and physical problems, none of the 25 survivors had individualized education programs in school, nor were any receiving occupational therapy at the time the survey was completed. The findings emphasize the importance of advocacy for occupational therapy services for survivors of childhood cancer and examination of adolescent survivor participation in, and goals for, typical activities.

Life satisfaction in adult survivors of cancer during adolescence: what contributes to the latter satisfaction with life?

“…The reduced satisfaction with 'leisure time/ hobbies' might be a result of the restricted participation in physical activities, which has recently been demonstrated in subgroups of survivors of childhood cancer [15,53]. In addition, a study with adolescent survivors of childhood cancer showed a diminished engagement in leisure and community activities, which has also been associated with a lower QoL in this population [54].…”

The lived experience of fatigue in children and adolescents with cancer: a systematic review

“…It affects children and adolescents with cancer at all stages of the disease trajectory from diagnosis to survivorship and the end-of-life period [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Fatigue has physical, mental, and emotional components and may be characterized by a lack of energy, decreased physical ability, and feelings of tiredness.…”

Cancer care and occupational therapy: A scoping review

“…Multiple articles explored the role (or potential role) of occupational therapists within cancer care at differing stages of the disease, highlighting limitations to the roles (Johnson, ; Lemoignan, Chasen, & Bargava, ; He‐‐Strocchio & Longpre, ), or gaps in services, mainly for the paediatric and adolescent populations (Berg, Neufeld, Harvey, Downes, & Hayashi, ; Briskey, Powderly, Richardson, & Atkinson, ). Return to work post‐cancer was also a topic in a number of papers.…”