Hearing loss in French survivors of childhood and adolescent leukemia: impact on quality of life and schooling difficulties.

BACKGROUND

Hearing dysfunction following ototoxic or intensive cancer treatments is an underreported late effect among survivors of childhood and adolescent acute leukemia. The AUD&LEA project is the first study to examine, in a large cohort of childhood acute leukemia survivors: 1. the associated factors of hearing loss; 2. the association of hearing loss and the life of the individuals.

METHODS

The AUD&LEA (AUDition & Leucémie Enfants et Adolescents) project was a cross-sectional study. The participants were included in the French LEA cohort which includes 18 French medical teams. The inclusion criteria of the patients were: childhood acute leukemia survivors, diagnosed before the age of 18 and after 1980, had a valid response (yes or no) regarding auditory sequela, and alive on December 31, 2022. The following data were collected: sociodemographics and clinical data, quality of life and schooling course.

RESULTS

Among 6145 individuals, 1.45 % (95 % confidence interval [1.11-1.69 %]) persons were classified having a hearing loss. Compared to the individuals without hearing loss, those with hearing loss were significantly younger at the diagnosis and presented more often an acute myeloid disease. They also reported the worst level of quality of life and more often grade retention.

CONCLUSION

Hearing loss should have consequences in the quality of life and the schooling course. It is essential to carry out systematic screening during and after the implicated treatments.