A meta-analysis of the neuropsychological effects of chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood cancer

Background Long‐term neuropsychological deficits associated with pediatric cancers and the related treatments have been consistently reported. Whole brain cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is associated with neurocognitive impairment. As a result, physicians are reticent to use CRT in favor of systemic or intrathecal chemotherapy, which have a less clear impact on cognition. Procedure The current meta‐analysis examined post‐treatment neuropsychological performance of children diagnosed with cancer and treated with chemotherapy to better understand the impact of chemotherapy upon cognition. Relevant test scores from 18 empirical studies were utilized and analyzed in comparison to normative data yielding 199 unique effect sizes across nine neurocognitive domains. Results Children diagnosed with cancer, who received chemotherapy, demonstrated deficits in attentional capacity (g = −0.277). These deficits are noted in the context of relatively unaffected performance in other domains. When examining potential moderators, those tested more than 5 years after completion of treatment demonstrated better attentional performance than those tested within 5 years of treatment completion. Conclusions These deficits in attentional capacity have implications related to the academic success of these children. Given the potential for remediation strategies within this domain, neuropsychological assessment can be an integral aspect of long‐term care plans of survivors of childhood cancer.