Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Nov;10(22):8172-8181.
doi: 10.1002/cam4.4289. Epub 2021 Nov 1.

The association between vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy and health-related quality of life in children with cancer

Mirjam E van de Velde  1 , Marleen H van den Berg  1 , Gertjan J L Kaspers  1   2 , Floor C H Abbink  3 , Jos W R Twisk  4 , Inge M van der Sluis  2 , Cor van den Bos  2   3 , Marry M van den Heuvel-Eibrink  2 , Heidi Segers  5 , Christophe Chantrain  6 , Jutte van der Werff Ten Bosch  7 , Leen Willems  8 , Raphaële R L van Litsenburg  1   2
Affiliations

The association between vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy and health-related quality of life in children with cancer

Mirjam E van de Velde et al. Cancer Med. 2021 Nov.

Abstract

Purpose: Vincristine (VCR) is a chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of pediatric oncology patients, but its main toxicity is VCR-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN). However, whether VIPN has an effect on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in children during treatment is unknown. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the association between VIPN and HR-QoL in children starting treatment for cancer.

Methods: Measurements of VIPN were performed using two tools: Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and pediatric-modified Total Neuropathy Score (ped-mTNS). Assessment of HR-QoL was done with self- and proxy assessment of the Cancer and Generic module of the Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL).

Results: In total, N = 86 children were included. HR-QoL of children with VIPN (n = 67%, 76%) was significantly lower in comparison with children without VIPN: estimated Total score of PedsQL Generic (proxy) 84.57; β = -8.96 and 95% confidence interval (CI) -14.48 to -3.43; p = 0.002, estimated PedsQL Generic Total score (self-reported): 85.16, β = -8.38 (95% CI: -13.76 to -3.00); p = 0.003. Similar results were found in the Pain and Hurt domain of the PedsQL Cancer (pain: estimated score [proxy]: 85.28, β = -9.94 [95%CI: -16.44 to -3.45], p = 0.003; hurt: estimated score [self-report] 97.57, β = -19.15 [95%CI: -26.82 to -11.48], p < 0.001).

Conclusion: VIPN results in a significant reduction of HR-QoL in children under treatment for a malignancy, which means that VIPN is important for the well-being of pediatric oncology patients. Therefore, this study underlines the importance of optimizing treatment with VCR, thereby aiming to reduce VIPN while maintaining efficacy.

Keywords: PedsQL; cancer; children; neurotoxicity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have a conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Total PedsQL generic score divided in pediatric patients with and without vincristine‐induced peripheral neuropathy according to either the common terminology criteria for adverse events or pediatric‐modified total neuropathy score. *Represents p values <0.05 per timepoint between the groups with and without VIPN, VIPN, vincristine‐induced peripheral neuropathy; PedsQL, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Total PedsQL Cancer scores Pain and Hurt domain divided in children with and without vincristine‐induced peripheral neuropathy according to the common terminology criteria for adverse events or pediatric‐modified total neuropathy score. All results at different time points were significant with a p < 0.05. VIPN, vincristine‐induced peripheral neuropathy; PedsQL, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ward E, DeSantis C, Robbins A, Kohler B, Jemal A. Childhood and adolescent cancer statistics, 2014. CA Cancer J Clin. 2014;64(2):83‐103. doi:10.3322/caac.21219 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Oeffinger KC, Mertens AC, Sklar CA, et al. Chronic health conditions in adult survivors of childhood cancer. N Engl J Med. 2006;355(15):1572‐1582. doi:10.1056/NEJMsa060185 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fardell JE, Vetsch J, Trahair T, et al. Health‐related quality of life of children on treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017;64(9):e26489. doi:10.1002/pbc.26489 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Vetsch J, Wakefield CE, Robertson EG, et al. Health‐related quality of life of survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review. Qual Life Res. 2018;27(6):1431‐1443. doi:10.1007/s11136-018-1788-5 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ferrans CE, Zerwic JJ, Wilbur JE, Larson JL. Conceptual model of health‐related quality of life. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2005;37(4):336‐342. doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2005.00058.x - DOI - PubMed

Publication types