Scientists at the University of Montreal have found that children who survive an aggressive form of brain cancer suffer from neurological problems, from hearing loss to infertility, with overall mortality rates 21 times higher than in the general population. Research published Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Medulloblastoma is the most common type of brain cancer in young people. Currently, survival rates are between 50 and 80%, but treatment can cause long-term side effects.
In the new study, researchers analyzed data from 230 patients who were diagnosed with medulloblastoma before age 18 and lived without a recurrence for more than five years. Radiation therapy was the main treatment modality.
The researchers found that patients had 45 and 96 times higher rates of stroke and severe hearing loss, respectively, than the general population. Additionally, approximately one in two patients received some degree of disability.
These results indicate that treatment regimens should be revised based on risk, patient age, and tumor biology to ensure that patients at low risk of recurrence are not exposed to toxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy.