[Neurocognitive function of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors treated only with chemotherapy]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Neuroscience
• Survivorship Research

Context:

• Advances in risk-directed therapy and supportive care have improved survival rates for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to 80-90% five-year survival.
• The growing population of childhood ALL survivors necessitates a focus on long-term quality of life, heavily influenced by late treatment complications.
• Cranial radiation avoidance reduces severe late effects like secondary cancers and endocrine issues, but neurocognitive impairment remains a concern in chemotherapy-only treated survivors.

Purpose:

• To review the neurocognitive function of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors treated exclusively with chemotherapy.
• To highlight the challenges in evaluating domain-specific neurocognitive impairments in this population.
• To underscore the importance of understanding and addressing cognitive deficits in ALL survivors.

Summary:

• Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors treated with chemotherapy alone are at risk for neurocognitive impairment, despite intact overall cognitive abilities.
• These impairments are often domain-specific, requiring detailed assessment to fully understand their nature and extent.
• The study focuses on elucidating the specific neurocognitive deficits observed in ALL survivors who did not receive cranial radiation.

Impact:

• Informing clinical practice regarding the long-term neurocognitive effects of chemotherapy in ALL survivors.
• Guiding the development of targeted neurocognitive assessments and interventions for this population.
• Improving the quality of life for childhood ALL survivors by addressing potential cognitive challenges.