Long-term health-related quality of life in pediatric brain tumor survivors following surgery: a cross sectional study

Children that are survivors of intracranial tumors face a higher risk of neuro-psychological impairments affecting quality of life.
Twenty-three children (n=15 with pilocytic astrocytoma) with benign intracranial tumors underwent surgery and were followed over a 5-year period after surgery. Using 4 health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaires, children with brain tumors struggled socially (P=0.03) and had limited cognitive ability (P=0.023) compared to those without. Loss of appetite (P=0.009), nausea and vomiting (P=0.031) were more common in children with brain tumors.
According to the authors, pediatric intracranial tumors is associated with poor quality of life. Early assessment is crucial for the clinical management of neurological problems in children.