Impact of Oncologic Treatment on Health-Related Quality of Life of Children and Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of cancer treatment on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents.

METHODS

HRQoL self-perception was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 Cancer Module (PedsQL), applied to 103 children and adolescents aged 1 to 18 years, recruited from a hematology and oncology unit of a Brazil public hospital and a support house. Sociodemographic and health data were collected through structured questionnaires, and a dental examination was conducted to assess dental caries. Data were analyzed using SPSS, including descriptive and Chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Most participants were male (54.4%), aged 1-7 years (55.3%), with a primary diagnosis of hematologic and lymphatic cancer (85.4%). Family income was up to one minimum wage (55.3%), and 70.9% of mothers had at least 8 years of education. Children aged 1-7 scored lower in "Procedural Anxiety" (45.14 ± 40.37) than adolescents (66.67 ± 36.30). Adolescents scored lower in "Nausea" (55.11 ± 30.06) and "Worry" (56.34 ± 38.69) than children. HRQoL scores were associated with age (p < 0.001), maternal education (p = 0.022), brushing frequency (p = 0.046), and decayed teeth (p = 0.001). In the final model, self-reported HRQoL among children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years (OR = 4.28; 95% CI: 1.07-17.12) was associated with lower HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety, nausea, and worry negatively impact the health-related HRQoL of pediatric cancer patients, and sociodemographic factors, such as the child's age, also influence this perception, highlighting the importance of individualized and integrated approaches to care.