Childhood lymphoma treatment impacts educational outcomes: a registry study from Sweden

This study aimed to explore educational outcomes in individuals diagnosed with lymphoma in childhood concerning school grade year 9 and attendance in high school and post-compulsory education. Whether sex or age at diagnosis affected the assessed variables was also explored.

Data from 174 children born 1988-1996 and diagnosed with lymphoma before age 15 were matched with approximately five controls per patient. The mean time since diagnosis to receiving school year 9 grades was 4.88 years for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases (mean age at diagnosis 10.62, 11.76, and 10.05 years for all, girls, and boys, respectively) and 7.79 years for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases (mean age at diagnosis 7.85, 7.87, and 7.84 years for all, girls, and boys, respectively).

We observed statistically significant differences between cases and controls in physical education, both for failing (p = 0.041) and the highest grade (p = 0.015). Compared with controls, HL cases were three times more likely to fail mathematics, and significantly fewer individuals in the whole lymphoma (p = 0.011) and NHL (p = 0.035) groups attended the third year of high school.

Educational outcomes are impacted for children treated for lymphoma, especially in physical education. Since patients with HL are treated without central nervous system-directed therapy, other factors, such as absence from school, may affect school results. Physical late complications in lymphoma survivors warrant special attention.

The problems childhood lymphoma survivors face should be known by schools and parents, to enable their management. Children treated for lymphoma should be closely monitored and included in follow-up programs when needed, for example, to support physical activity.