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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
Predicting behavioral problems in craniopharyngioma survivors after conformal radiation therapy
Eugenia P Dolson1, Heather M Conklin, Chenghong Li
1Division of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-3678, USA.
Background:
Although radiation therapy is a primary treatment for craniopharyngioma, it can exacerbate existing problems related to the tumor and pre-irradiation management. Survival is often marked by neurologic deficits, panhypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, cognitive deficiencies, and behavioral and social problems.
Procedure:
The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to evaluate behavioral and social problems during the first 5 years of follow-up in 27 patients with craniopharyngioma treated with conformal radiation therapy.
Results:
All group averages for the CBCL scales were within the age-typical range at pre-irradiation baseline. Extent of surgical resection was implicated in baseline differences for the internalizing, externalizing, behavior problem and social scores. Significant longitudinal changes were found in internalizing, externalizing, behavior problem and school scores that correlated with tumor and treatment-related factors.
Conclusions:
The most common variables implicated in post-irradiation behavioral and social problems were CSF shunting, presence of an Ommaya reservoir, diabetes insipidus, and low pre-irradiation growth hormone levels.
