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Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Offspring of Young Female Cancer Survivors

Kyujin Choi1, Jihye Heo2,3, Soo-Young Oh4

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|June 11, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Children born to young female cancer survivors face a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). This increased risk, particularly for cerebral palsy and developmental delay, highlights the need for specialized care.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Young female cancer survivors (under 40) represent a growing population.
  • The impact of maternal cancer history on offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes requires further investigation.
  • Understanding these risks is crucial for reproductive counseling and pediatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal cancer history in women under 40 and the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in their offspring.
  • To identify specific NDDs associated with maternal cancer survivorship.
  • To explore the influence of the timing of pregnancy relative to cancer diagnosis on NDD risk.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study utilizing nationwide data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2005-2019).
  • Inclusion of 19,474 children born to female cancer survivors under 40.
  • Propensity-score matching (1:3) with 58,422 controls; NDDs identified via ICD-10 codes; Hazard Ratios (HRs) calculated.

Main Results:

  • Children of young female cancer survivors exhibited an increased overall risk of NDDs (HR=1.10).
  • Specific elevated risks observed for cerebral palsy (HR=1.38), developmental delay (HR=1.16), and epileptic/febrile seizures (HR=1.06).
  • The risk was highest for offspring diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy (HR=1.26); no significant difference noted for births >5 years post-diagnosis (HR=1.07).

Conclusions:

  • Offspring born to young female cancer survivors have a statistically significant increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • Maternal cancer diagnosis during pregnancy poses a particularly high risk for NDDs in offspring.
  • Healthcare providers should counsel young female cancer survivors on potential NDD risks for their children and recommend appropriate surveillance.

Keywords:
Long-term outcome of childMaternal exposureNeurodevelopmental disordersOffsprings of maternal cancer

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