Long-term medical and functional outcomes of medulloblastoma survivors: A population-based, matched cohort study.

Abstract

10053 Background: Most medulloblastoma survivors suffer from late treatment-related sequelae. There are no population-based studies examining such late effects in a dedicated cohort of medulloblastoma survivors. Methods: Using a provincial pediatric cancer registry, all 5+ year medulloblastoma survivors diagnosed between 1987-2015 at <18 years of age in Ontario, Canada were identified and matched to cancer-free population controls based on age, sex, and geographical location. Cases were followed from the index date (five years from latest of diagnosis, or relapse/subsequent malignancy prior to age 18 years) until December 31, 2020 or censorship (death, or relapse/new cancer after age 18 years). Clinical data were linked to administrative health databases to estimate the cumulative incidences and cause-specific hazard ratios (HR) of mortality, hospitalizations, strokes, hearing loss requiring a hearing aid, and receipt of homecare services between cohorts, accounting for matching and competing risks. We evaluated demographic, disease, and treatment predictors of mortality using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Of 389 medulloblastoma diagnoses in the study period, 159 (40.9%) were excluded, most commonly due to early death prior to the index date. Two hundred thirty cases were matched to 1150 controls (Table). Ten-year survival probability after index was 92.4% in cases and 99.4% in controls (HR 21.5, 95% CI 9.8-54.0). Cases were at higher risk for hospitalizations (HR 3.4, 95% CI 2.7-4.3), stroke (HR 45.6, 95% CI 12.8-289.8), hearing loss (HR 96.3, 95% CI 39.7-317.3), and requiring homecare services (HR 7.9, 95% CI 5.8-10.9). By 10 years after index, 4.8% (95% CI 2.2-9.0) of survivors had experienced a stroke compared to 0.1% (95% CI 0.01-0.7) of controls. None of the candidate predictors were significantly associated with mortality on univariate analyses. Conclusions: Survivors of childhood medulloblastoma experienced an increased risk of mortality and serious morbidity compared to population controls. Consideration for mitigation strategies or early interventions for preventing neurovascular sequelae and hearing loss is warranted, as is dedicated supports for survivors. [Table: see text]