Year: 2024
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: BACKGROUND Children and adolescents with brain tumors are at increased risk for anxiety compared to unaffected peers, but the impact of treatment on anxiety are unknown. METHODS We identified patients diagnosed with a brain tumor at Texas Children’s Hospital (2012-2019), excluding high-grade glioma. Anxiety was evaluated using the BASC-2, with T-scores ≥60 considered positive. Baseline assessment occurred within six months of start of treatment and were repeated annually. Chi squared tests of independence were performed. RESULTS Of 156 patients included, 92 received proton radiation therapy (RT) and 64 did not receive any RT. 52% were male, and patients were diagnosed at a median age of 10.4 years (range: 6-20) with a median follow-up of 4.2 years (range: 0-11.4). 42% of patients (n=66/156) screened positive for anxiety at least once during the follow-up period. Among those treated with RT, 15% screened positive for anxiety at baseline and the proportion significantly increased at 1-year (29%) and 2-years (34%) follow-up (p=0.016). For patients spared radiation, there was no statistically significant change over time (p=0.56), although the proportion positive for anxiety trended lower over time with 30% positive at baseline, 26% positive at 1-year and 20% positive at 2-years of follow-up. In the non-RT cohort, patients reported more anxiety symptoms at baseline than patients who did receive RT (p=0.029), but no significant differences were observed at 1-year (p=0.80) or 2-year follow-up (p=0.13). CONCLUSIONS Nearly half of pediatric brain tumor patients report anxiety during or in the years following treatment. We identified differences in the trajectory of anxiety symptoms based on RT, with declining levels of anxiety observed in the population not receiving RT and an increasing proportion of patients reporting anxiety in the years following RT. These findings may help guide the delivery of supportive services to populations most at-risk of anxiety.
Source: Neuro-Oncology
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,389
OpenAlex ID: W4399788486