Quality of life in survivors of childhood brain tumour and the association of children's diseases on quality of their parents life.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of children's quality of life (QoL) after finished brain tumour treatment and the association of children's diseases on quality of their parents' life.

METHODS

The study group was consisted of 46 children after brain tumour treatment (aged 4, 5, to 29 years old). The control group was composed of 104 students of primary, secondary, and high schools. One hundred fifty (104 + 46) parents were included in the study. Standardised QoL questionnaires (PEDsQL-4.0, WHOQOL-BREF) were used. Survivors' QoL was assessed from patients' and their parents' point of view, also the association of children's diseases on quality of their parents' life was estimated.

RESULTS

QoL of children after brain tumour treatment was lower than in the control group according to the children (P < 0.001) and their parents (P < 0.001). The survivors worst rated their ability to social functioning (P < 0.0010) and physical functioning (P < 0.001) in comparison with self-assessment of healthy children. According to their parents, the functioning of children in all zones was worse than in the control group, mostly in social (P < 0.001) and physical sphere (P < 0.001), too. QoL of children with low-grade tumour was comparable with QoL of children with high-grade tumour). QoL of survivors' caregivers in study was higher than QoL of parents of control groups (P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of patients' life after brain tumour treatment is lower in comparison with healthy children. QoL of the parents of survivor is higher than the QoL of healthy children parents. The assessment of QoL of children after brain tumour treatment should be an inherent element of health monitoring.