Risk factors for domain-specific neurocognitive outcome in pediatric survivors of a brain tumor in the posterior fossa-Results of the HIT 2000 trial.

BACKGROUND: Neurocognition can be severely affected in pediatric brain tumor survivors. We analyzed the association of cognitive functioning with radiotherapy dose, postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS), hydrocephalus, intraventricular methotrexate (MTX) application, tumor localization, and biology in pediatric survivors of a posterior fossa tumor. METHODS: Subdomain-specific neurocognitive outcome data from 279 relapse-free survivors of the HIT-2000 trial (241 medulloblastoma and 38 infratentorial ependymoma) using the Neuropsychological Basic Diagnostic tool based on Cattell-Horn-Carroll's model for intelligence were analyzed. RESULTS: Cognitive performance 5.14 years (mean; range = 1.52-13.02) after diagnosis was significantly below normal for all subtests. Processing speed and psychomotor abilities were most affected. Influencing factors were domain-specific: CSI-dose had a strong impact on most subtests. pCMS was associated with psychomotor abilities (ß = -0.25 to -0.16) and processing speed (ß = -0.32). Postoperative hydrocephalus correlated with crystallized intelligence (ß = -0.20) and short-term memory (ß = -0.15), age with crystallized intelligence (ß = 0.15) and psychomotor abilities (ß = -0.16 and ß = -0.17). Scores for fluid intelligence (ß = -0.23), short-term memory (ß = -0.17) and visual processing (ß = -0.25) declined, and scores for selective attention improved (ß = 0.29) with time after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The dose of CSI was strongly associated with neurocognitive outcomes. Low psychomotor abilities and processing speed both in patients treated with and without CSI suggest a strong contribution of the tumor and its surgery on these functions. Future research therefore should analyze strategies to both reduce CSI dose and toxicity caused by other treatment modalities.

Survivors of infant atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors present with severely impaired cognitive functions especially for fluid intelligence and visual processing: data from the German brain tumor studies.

BACKGROUND: The contribution of tumor type, multimodal treatment, and other patient-related factors upon long-term cognitive sequelae in infant brain tumor survivors remains undefined. We add our retrospective analysis of neuropsychological and quality of survival (QoS) outcome data of survivors of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT) and extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumors of the soft tissues (eMRT) and kidneys (RTK) treated within the same framework. Neuropsychological data from children with ATRT were compared to data from children with non-irradiated low-grade glioma (LGG). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Following surgery, patients (0-36 months at diagnosis) had received radio-chemotherapy (up to 54 Gy; ATRT: n = 13; eMRT/RTK: n = 7), chemotherapy only (LGG: n = 4; eMRT/RTK: n = 1) or had been observed (LGG: n = 11). Neuropsychological evaluation employing comparable tests was performed at median 6.8 years (ATRT), 6.6 years (eMRT/RTK), and 5.2 years (LGG) post diagnosis. RESULTS: We detected sequelae in various domains for all tumor types. Group comparison showed impairments, specifically in fluid intelligence (p = .041; d = 1.11) and visual processing (p = .001; d = 2.09) in ATRT patients when compared to LGG patients. Results for psychomotor speed and attention abilities were significantly below the norm for both groups (p < .001-.019; d = 0.79-1.90). Diagnosis predicted impairments of cognitive outcome, while sex- and age-related variables did not. QoS outcome for all rhabdoid patients displayed impairments mainly in social (p = .008; d = 0.74) and school functioning (p = .048; d = 0.67), as well as lower overall scores in psychosocial functioning (p = .023; d = 0.78) and quality of life (p = .006; d = 0.79) compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Survivors of infant ATRT experience various late effects in cognition and QoS following multimodal treatment, while infant LGG patients without radiotherapy demonstrated comparable impairments in psychomotor and attention abilities. Early onset and multimodal treatment of rhabdoid tumors require close monitoring of neuropsychological and QoS sequelae.

Comprehensive neurological evaluation of a cohort of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 from a single institution.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a phenotypically heterogenous multisystem cancer predisposition syndrome manifesting in childhood and adolescents. Central nervous system (CNS) manifestations include structural, neurodevelopmental, and neoplastic disease. We aimed to (1) characterize the spectrum of CNS manifestations of NF1 in a paediatric population, (2) explore radiological features in the CNS by image analyses, and (3) correlate genotype with phenotypic expression for those with a genetic diagnosis. We performed a database search in the hospital information system covering the period between January 2017 and December 2020. We evaluated the phenotype by retrospective chart review and imaging analysis. 59 patients were diagnosed with NF1 [median age 10.6 years (range, 1.1-22.6); 31 female] at last follow-up, pathogenic NF1 variants were identified in 26/29. 49/59 patients presented with neurological manifestations including 28 with structural and neurodevelopmental findings, 16 with neurodevelopmental, and 5 with structural findings only. Focal areas of signal intensity (FASI) were identified in 29/39, cerebrovascular anomalies in 4/39. Neurodevelopmental delay was reported in 27/59 patients, learning difficulties in 19/59. Optic pathway gliomas (OPG) were diagnosed in 18/59 patients, 13/59 had low-grade gliomas outside the visual pathways. 12 patients received chemotherapy. Beside the established NF1 microdeletion, neither genotype nor FASI were associated with the neurological phenotype. NF1 was associated with a spectrum of CNS manifestations in at least 83.0% of patients. Regular neuropsychological assessment complementing frequent clinical and ophthalmologic testing for OPG is necessary in the care of each child with NF1.

Long-term cognitive deficits in pediatric low-grade glioma (LGG) survivors reflect pretreatment conditions-report from the German LGG studies.

BACKGROUND: Disease and treatment contribute to cognitive late effects following pediatric low-grade glioma (LGG). We analyzed prospectively collected neuropsychological data of German pediatric LGG survivors and focused on the impact of hydrocephalus at diagnosis, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) status, and extent of surgery. METHODS: We used the Neuropsychological Basic Diagnostic screening tool based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll model for intelligence and the concept of cross-battery assessment at 2 and 5 years from diagnosis for 316 patients from the German pediatric LGG study and LGG registry (7.1 years median age; 45 NF1; cerebral hemispheres 16%, supratentorial midline 39%, infratentorial 45%). Hydrocephalus was classified radiologically in 137 non-NF1 patients with infratentorial tumors (95/137 complete/subtotal resection). RESULTS: Patients with NF1 versus non-NF1 exhibited inferior verbal short-term memory and visual processing (P < .001-.021). In non-NF1 patients, infratentorial tumor site and complete/subtotal resection were associated with sequelae in visual processing, psychomotor speed, and processing speed (P < .001-.008). Non-NF1 patients without surgical tumor reduction and/or nonsurgical treatment experienced similar deficits. Degree of hydrocephalus at diagnosis had no further impact. Psychomotor and processing speed were impaired comparably following chemo-/radiotherapy (P < .001-.021). Pretreatment factors such as NF1 or tumor site were relevant at multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: All pediatric LGG survivors are at risk to experience long-term cognitive impairments in various domains. Even surgical only management of cerebellar LGG or no treatment at all, that is, biopsy only/radiological diagnosis did not protect cognitive function. Since pattern and extent of deficits are crucial to tailor rehabilitation, neuropsychological and quality of survival assessments should be mandatory in future LGG trials.