Motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors.

Valentin Benzing,Valerie Siegwart,Kurt Leibundgut,Janine Spitzhüttl,Maja Steinlin,Claudia M. Roebers,Jürg Schmid,Regula Everts,Mirko Schmidt,Michael Grotzer

doi:10.1002/cam4.3750

Abstract

BackgroundCancer survivorship is frequently associated with severe late effects. However, research into pediatric cancer survivors on late effects in motor ability, physical self‐concept and their relationship to quality of life is limited.MethodsUsing multiple regression analyses, 78 pediatric cancer survivors and 56 typically developing children were compared in motor ability, physical self‐concept and health‐related quality of life. In addition, mediational multi‐group analyses between motor ability (independent variable), physical self‐concept (mediator) and quality of life (dependent variable) were calculated.ResultsPediatric cancer survivors had a lower motor ability (g Hedges = 0.863), a lower physical self‐concept with regard to several scales of the PSDQ‐S (g Hedges = 0.318–0.764) and a higher relative risk for a below average quality of life than controls (RR = 1.44). Children with a history of cancer involving the central nervous system showed poorer motor ability compared to those without central nervous systeminvolvement (g Hedges = 0.591). Furthermore, the physical self‐concept significantly mediated the relationship between motor ability and quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors but not in typically developing children.ConclusionsResults show the importance of monitoring and supporting the development of motor ability in the aftercare of pediatric cancer survivors. Physical activity interventions may be advisable to prevent physical activity‐related late effects and potentially improve related psychosocial variables such as quality of life.

Highlights

Due to cancer and its treatment, pediatric cancer survivors (PCS) are a vulnerable group at high risk for late effects.[1]
The first aim of this study was to investigate whether motor ability, physical self-concept and quality of life (QoL) are lower in PCS compared to typically developing (TD) children
We investigated late effects of childhood cancer and its treatment in motor ability, physical self-concept, and QoL

Summary

Introduction

Due to cancer and its treatment, pediatric cancer survivors (PCS) are a vulnerable group at high risk for late effects.[1]. Methods: Using multiple regression analyses, 78 pediatric cancer survivors and 56 typically developing children were compared in motor ability, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life. These findings are consistent with incidence rates known from the literature (a proportionally higher incidence of CNS tumors in age 5–9 compared to age 0–4 )[59] and with the high percentage of treatment including only surgery and a shorter treatment duration observed in our data Both variables are inevitably linked to the cancer type and were not included as covariates for the comparisons of survivors of non-CNS and CNS cancer.

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