Cumulative neurological factors associated with long-term outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors

Abstract

Prior research has demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Neurological Predictor Scale (NPS) in relation to childhood brain tumor survivor outcomes; however, its use has not been examined in adult long-term survivors. The current study examines the concurrent validity of the NPS with long-term intellectual and adaptive outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors relative to individual variables alone. A total of 68 adult survivors of childhood brain tumors (M = 24 years old, SD = 4) almost 16 years post diagnosis (SD = 6) completed intellectual evaluations using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Survivors’ adaptive functioning skills were assessed via informant structured clinical interviews (SIB-R). NPS scores were computed from data acquired from medical records. The NPS was significantly associated with intellectual (R² = 0.208, p < .05) and adaptive outcomes (R² = 0.30, p < .05) over and above individual risk factors. Approximately 18% of long-term survivors were identified as impaired in intellectual outcomes, and 29% were identified as impaired in adaptive functioning in everyday life skills. The NPS quantifies the cumulative effects of treatment and neurological sequelae experienced by both short- and long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors. It is a useful and easy measure to employ in clinical research that focuses on quantifying the neurological risk factors associated with long-term intellectual and adaptive functioning outcomes in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.

KEYWORDS:

• Brain tumors
• Long-term survival
• Outcomes research
• Intelligence
• Adaptive functioning

We would like to express our gratitude to the individuals and families who participated in this study and generously contributed their time and effort. Also, we would like to acknowledge the King Developmental Neuropsychology Research Team for helping with data acquisition, including but not limited to, Drs Jackie Micklewright, Matthew Mumaw, Aimilia Papazoglou, and John Ryan; and Kristen Smith, Ryan Brewster, Alyssa Aillion, and Michelle Fox.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society (PI: T.Z.K. [#RSGPB-CPPB-114044]) and a Georgia State University Brains and Behavior Initiative Graduate Student Fellowship (S.N.).