Sleep in children with cancer
Gerald M Rosen1, Audrey C Shor, Thomas J Geller
1Pediatrics University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorder Center, Hennepin County Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Minnesota, USA. rosen052@umn.edu
Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|November 26, 2008
Summary
Pediatric cancer survivors often experience sleep problems due to cancer treatments affecting circadian rhythms. Early recognition and management of these sleep issues are crucial for improving survivors' quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Circadian biology
- Oncology
- Sleep medicine
Background:
- Cancer treatments have improved survival rates for childhood cancers.
- Sleep and circadian rhythms are increasingly recognized as intersecting with cancer.
- Sleep problems are common side effects of cancer and its treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the intersection of sleep and cancer in pediatric survivors.
- To highlight the role of circadian biology in cancer treatment and survivorship.
- To emphasize the need for recognizing and treating sleep problems in survivors.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on circadian biology, cancer, and sleep.
- Analysis of the impact of cancer treatments on sleep-wake rhythms.
- Identification of risk factors for sleep disturbances in pediatric cancer survivors.
Main Results:
- Circadian clocks in cells control the cell cycle, offering potential for timed cancer therapies.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness is a prevalent, often overlooked symptom in cancer survivors.
- Sleep complaints are particularly common in survivors with hypothalamic/brainstem injury, endocrine dysfunction, obesity, or cranial radiation history.
Conclusions:
- Sleep problems are a significant concern for pediatric cancer survivors.
- Circadian timing presents novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
- Appropriate recognition and management of sleep issues can lead to successful outcomes for survivors.
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