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Background: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of seizure-related factors on neurocognitive, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer., Methods: Survivors of childhood cancer treated at St. Jude Children's Hospital (n = 2022; 48.3% female; median age, 31.5 years; median time since diagnosis, 23.6 years) completed neurocognitive testing and questionnaires. The presence, severity, resolution, and treatment history of seizures were abstracted from medical records. Adjusting for the age at diagnosis, sex, and prior cancer therapy, multivariable models examined the impact of seizures on neurocognitive and HRQOL outcomes. Mediation analyses were conducted for social outcomes., Results: Seizures were identified in 232 survivors (11.5%; 29.9% of survivors with central nervous system [CNS] tumors and 9.0% of those without CNS tumors). In CNS tumor survivors, seizures were associated with poorer executive function and processing speed (P < .02); in non-CNS tumor survivors, seizures were associated with worse function in every domain (P < .05). Among non-CNS survivors, seizure severity was associated with worse processing speed (P = .023), and resolution was associated with better executive function (P = .028) and attention (P = .044). In CNS survivors, seizure resolution was associated with improved attention (P = .047) and memory (P < .02). Mediation analysis revealed that the impact of seizures on social outcomes was mediated by neurocognitive function., Conclusions: Seizures in cancer survivors adversely affect long-term functional and psychosocial outcomes independently of cancer therapy. The resolution of seizure occurrence is associated with better outcomes. Seizure severity is associated with poorer outcomes and should be a focus of clinical management and patient education., (© 2021 American Cancer Society.)

Background: Although survivors of childhood cancer are at risk of chronic pain, the impact of pain on daily functioning is not well understood., Methods: A total of 2836 survivors (mean age, 32.2 years [SD, 8.5 years]; mean time since diagnosis, 23.7 years [SD, 8.2 years]) and 343 noncancer community controls (mean age, 35.5 years [SD, 10.2 years]) underwent comprehensive medical, neurocognitive, and physical performance assessments, and completed measures of pain, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social functioning. Multinomial logistic regression models, using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), examined associations between diagnosis, treatment exposures, chronic health conditions, and pain. Relative risks (RRs) between pain and neurocognition, physical performance, social functioning, and HRQOL were examined using modified Poisson regression., Results: Approximately 18% of survivors (95% CI, 16.1%-18.9%) versus 8% of controls (95% CI, 5.0%-10.9%) reported moderate to very severe pain with moderate to extreme daily interference (P < .001). Severe and life-threatening chronic health conditions were associated with an increased likelihood of pain with interference (odds ratio, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.62-2.54). Pain with daily interference was found to be associated with an increased risk of impaired neurocognition (attention: RR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.46-2.41]; and memory: RR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.25-2.17]), physical functioning (aerobic capacity: RR, 2.29 [95% CI, 1.84-2.84]; and mobility: RR, 1.71 [95% CI, 1.42-2.06]), social functioning (inability to hold a job and/or attend school: RR, 4.46 [95% CI, 3.45-5.76]; and assistance with routine and/or personal care needs: RR, 5.64 [95% CI, 3.92-8.10]), and HRQOL (physical: RR, 6.34 [95% CI, 5.04-7.98]; and emotional: RR, 2.83 [95% CI, 2.28-3.50])., Conclusions: Survivors of childhood cancer are at risk of pain and associated functional impairments. Survivors should be screened routinely for pain and interventions targeting pain interference are needed., (© 2020 American Cancer Society.)

Background: Children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) undergo treatment with central nervous system-directed therapy, the potentially neurotoxic effects of which have not been reported in NHL survivors., Methods: NHL survivors (n = 187) participating in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort who were 10 or more years from their diagnosis and were 18 years old or older underwent neurocognitive, emotional distress (Brief Symptom Inventory 18), and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessments (36-Item Short Form Health Survey). Age-adjusted z scores were compared with community controls (n = 181) and normative data. Treatment exposures were abstracted from medical records. Models adjusted for the age, sex, and time from diagnosis were used to calculate the risk of impairment., Results: The mean ages at evaluation were similar for the survivors and the controls (35.7 ± 8.9 vs 35.5 ± 11.0 years; P = .86). Survivors were 25.2 ± 8.8 years from their diagnosis: 43 (23%) received cranial radiation, 70 (37%) received high-dose methotrexate, 40 (21%) received high-dose cytarabine, and 151 (81%) received intrathecal chemotherapy. Survivors' intelligence and attention were within normal limits; however, their memory, executive function, processing speed, and academics were impaired in comparison with both population norms and community controls (P values < .05). Treatment-related exposures were not associated with neurocognitive function; however, neurocognitive impairment was associated with lower educational attainment, unemployment, and occupational status (P values < .03). Slower processing speed and worse self-reported executive function were associated with symptoms of depression (P values ≤ .003) and poorer HRQOL (P values < .05)., Conclusions: Adult survivors of childhood NHL experience impaired neurocognitive function, which is associated with lower social attainment and poor HRQOL. Early-detection and intervention strategies are recommended. Cancer 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society., (© 2017 American Cancer Society.)

Objective: To examine the potential mediating role of body image dissatisfaction on the association between treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer., Methods: Participants included 1714 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean [SD] age at evaluation = 32.4 [8.0] years, time since diagnosis = 24.1 [8.1] years) enrolled in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Survivors completed measures of body image, emotional distress, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Body image dissatisfaction (BID) was categorized into 2 groups (cancer-related and general) based on factor analysis. Using causal mediation analysis, we estimated the proportion of psychological distress associated with treatment-related scarring/disfigurement that could be eliminated by resolving BID through a hypothetical intervention., Results: Among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head, a sizable proportion of the relative excess of psychological distress could be eliminated if BID was successfully treated (males: [cancer-related BID: depression: 63%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 52%]; [general BID: depression: 70%; anxiety: 100%; PTSS: 42%]; females: [cancer-related BID: depression: 20%; anxiety; 36%; PTSS: 23%]; [general BID: depression: 32%; anxiety: 87%; PTSS: 38%]). The mediating effect of BID was less pronounced for the association between scarring/disfigurement of the body and psychological distress for both males and females., Conclusions: Body image dissatisfaction mediates the association treatment-related scarring/disfigurement and psychological distress among adult survivors of childhood cancer, particularly among survivors with scarring/disfigurement of the head and male survivors. Successful treatment of body image dissatisfaction has the potential to eliminate a substantial proportion of psychological distress related to scarring/disfigurement among adult survivors of childhood cancer., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: The current study was performed to examine associations between childhood cancer therapies, chronic health conditions, and symptoms of emotional distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer., Methods: Participants included 5021 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean age, 32.0 years [standard deviation, 7.6 years] with a time since diagnosis of 23.2 years [standard deviation, 4.5 years]) who completed measures assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Cardiac, pulmonary, and endocrine conditions were graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.03; grades 1-4). Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized pathways between cancer treatment exposures, chronic health conditions, and symptoms of emotional distress. Multivariable models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) for associations between chronic health conditions and distress., Results: Survivors with cardiovascular, endocrine, or pulmonary conditions were found to have a significantly higher prevalence of emotional distress symptoms. In path analyses and multivariable models, significant effects were observed between endocrine (β = .12 [P = .002] and RR, 1.3 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.1-1.6]) and pulmonary (β = .13 [P<.001] and RR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1-1.7]) conditions and depression, and between cardiac (β = .13 [P = .001] and RR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2-1.8]) and pulmonary (β = .15 [P<.001] and RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.3-2.0]) conditions and anxiety. All treatment-related chronic health conditions were found to be associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (cardiac: β = .09 [P = .004] and RR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.2-1.5]; endocrine: β = .12 [P<.001] and RR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.2-1.5]; and pulmonary: β = .13 [P<.001] and RR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2-1.6])., Conclusions: Chronic health conditions resulting from childhood cancer therapies contribute to emotional distress in adult survivors. Targeted mental health screening efforts in this at-risk population appear warranted. Therapeutic approaches should consider the complex interplay between chronic health conditions and symptoms of emotional distress. Cancer 2017;123:521-528. © 2016 American Cancer Society., (© 2016 American Cancer Society.)