Quality-of-life evaluations in children and adolescents with Ewing sarcoma treated with pencil-beam-scanning proton therapy.

Background: With improved survival rates for children with cancer, quality-of-life (QoL) issues have increasingly become the focus of attention. We report the QoL of children with Ewing sarcoma (EWS) treated with pencil-beam-scanning proton therapy (PT).

Methods: A PEDQOL (QoL questionnaire for children 4-18 years) self/proxy questionnaire was used to prospectively assess the QoL of 23 children <18 years with EWS treated with PT.

Clinical outcomes and quality of life in children and adolescents with primary brain tumors treated with pencil beam scanning proton therapy.

Background: Long-term treatment-related toxicity may substantially impact well-being, quality of life (QoL), and health of children/adolescents with brain tumors (CBTs). Strategies to reduce toxicity include pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy (PT). This study aims to report clinical outcomes and QoL in PBS-treated CBTs.

Quality of Life of Patients With Osteosarcoma in the European American Osteosarcoma Study-1 (EURAMOS-1): Development and Implementation of a Questionnaire Substudy.

Background: The quality of life (QoL) of patients with osteosarcoma (OS) may be adversely affected by the disease or its treatment. Therefore, it is important to understand the QoL of patients undergoing treatment for OS to improve the QoL. We report on the first prospective international QoL study that was embedded within a large randomized clinical trial from 4 national study groups.

Health status, health-related quality of life, and socioeconomic outcome in childhood brain tumor survivors: a German cohort study.

Background: With rising numbers of childhood cancer survivors, somatic and socioeconomic outcome as well as health-related quality of life (QoL) gain increasing relevance. Based on the first nationwide German Survey on Life Situation, State of Health, and Quality of Life of Childhood Cancer Survivors, the VIVE survey, we report the outcome of survivors of childhood brain tumors localized in the posterior fossa.

Methods: Two hundred seventy participants with a median follow-up period of 21.

Quality of life in long-term survivors following treatment for Hodgkin's disease during childhood and adolescence in the German multicentre studies between 1978 and 2002.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally assess quality of life (QoL) in survivors of childhood Hodgkin's disease (HD) in a cohort treated for HD in the successive German-Austrian therapy studies HD-78, HD-82, HD-85, HD-87, HD-90, HD-95, respectively, in accordance with the HD-Interval-Treatment recommendation between 1978 and 2002.

Patients And Methods: Data from QoL questionnaires were provided by 1,202 (66 %) of 1,819 invited survivors. These included the EORTC QLQ-C30 and socio-demographic variables.

Brain metastases during follow-up of children and adolescents with extracranial malignant germ cell tumors: risk adapted management decision tree analysis based on data of the MAHO/MAKEI-registry.

Background: The overall risk for brain metastases among children and adolescents with extracranial malignant germ cell tumors (mGCT) is low but may vary between subgroups. Early identification of subgroups with an increased risk for brain metastasis is therefore important.

Procedure: We analyzed 900/2,160 patients from the German MAHO/MAKEI registry on children and adolescents with malignant extracranial GCT (pure teratomas (grade 0-3) were not included).

Post-operative hypothalamic lesions and obesity in childhood craniopharyngioma: results of the multinational prospective trial KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000 after 3-year follow-up.

Background: Hypothalamic obesity has major impact on prognosis and quality of life (QoL) in childhood craniopharyngioma.

Patients And Methods: For this study, 120 patients were prospectively recruited during 2001 and 2007 and evaluated after 3 years of follow-up (KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000). Body mass index (BMI) and QoL at diagnosis and 36 months after diagnosis were analysed based on the reference assessment of tumour localisation and post-surgical hypothalamic lesions.

Germ cell tumors of the head and neck: report from the MAKEI Study Group.

Background: Germ cell tumors (GCTs) of the head and neck region are rare but may pose significant problems for perinatal management as well as surgical and adjuvant therapy.

Procedure: Thirty-two prospectively reported patients from the German MAKEI studies (Maligne Keimzelltumoren) were analyzed with regard to perinatal management and long-term survival.

Results: Twenty-three tumors were diagnosed around birth and four during the first 3 months of life.

Epidemiologic analysis of 1,442 children and adolescents registered in the German germ cell tumor protocols.

Background: Germ cell tumors (GCTs) constitute a heterogeneous group of tumors that significantly vary with respect to their clinical presentation and biology. The objective of this analysis was to analyze a large population-based pediatric cohort of GCTs and to evaluate the parameters age, sex, site of the tumor, histology, and potential correlations between these parameters.

Procedure: Between 1981 and 2000, 1,442 patients were prospectively enrolled onto the German protocols for testicular and non-testicular GCTs.