INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #110 Differential Processing Efficiency Skills in Survivors of Pediatric Primary CNS Cancer and Cancers of non-CNS Origin Julie Trapani, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Victoria Seghatol-Eslami, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Tiffany Tucker, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Amanda Cook, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Sarah-Ann McGilvray, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Shreya Grandhi, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Donna Murdaugh, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States Category: Cancer Keyword 1: neuro-oncology Keyword 2: executive functions Keyword 3: working memory Objective: As survivorship rates of pediatric cancer increase, research has shifted to focus on improving our understanding of the adverse impacts of cancer and cancer-related treatments on brain development, functional outcomes, and quality of life. Processing efficiency (PE) impairment, or weaknesses in working memory (WM) and processing speed (PS) abilities, is a frequently observed cognitive late effect among survivors of both primary central nervous system (CNS) cancers and cancers of non-CNS origin. The current study expands prior research on the relationships between risk factors for cognitive late effects and PE outcomes and offers the first exploration of the relationships between PE performance and other cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes. Participants and Methods: Retrospective data collected from comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations conducted as part of clinical care were analyzed for 160 pediatric cancer survivors (CNS n=33; non-CNS n=127). A series of structural equation models (SEM) were utilized to explore the relationships between PE skills, risks factors for cognitive late effects (tumor type, biological sex, age at diagnosis, time since treatment, and socioeconomic status), and long-term outcomes including other cognitive skills, academic skills, and parent report of behavior, mood and executive functioning (EF). Results: SEM analysis confirmed that PE emerged as a latent construct with significant loadings of WM and PS (β’s .36-.94, p’s < .01) across all models. Primary CNS tumor (β = -0.32, p < .001) and male sex (β = 0.36, p < .001) were the only risk factors predicting lower performance on PE. Higher PE predicted better performance on latent factors underlying other cognitive measures (β = .95, p < .001) and global academic skills (β = .85, p < .001). PE was unrelated to parent reports of behavior, mood, and EF. A final integrated model illustrated the unique role of PE skills in predicting cognitive and academic outcomes. Conclusions: PE emerged as a distinct neurocognitive construct reflecting WM and PS skills in this population. Survivors with history of primary CNS tumors and male sex were at greatest risk for PE impairment. Those with greater PE skills performed better on other cognitive and academic tasks, but PE skills were unrelated to parent report of mood and behavior at home. Altogether, findings support the key role of processing efficiency skills in the well-documented difficulties in thinking and learning that emerge, sometimes years after treatment, in pediatric cancer survivors. Utilizing a standard approach for assessing and communicating processing efficiency skills, both within routine clinical practice and outcomes research, may hold significant translational impacts for pediatric cancer survivors.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #110

Differential Processing Efficiency Skills in Survivors of Pediatric Primary CNS Cancer and Cancers of non-CNS Origin

Julie Trapani, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Victoria Seghatol-Eslami, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Tiffany Tucker, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Amanda Cook, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Sarah-Ann McGilvray, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Shreya Grandhi, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States
Donna Murdaugh, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, United States

Category: Cancer

Keyword 1: neuro-oncology
Keyword 2: executive functions
Keyword 3: working memory

Objective:

As survivorship rates of pediatric cancer increase, research has shifted to focus on improving our understanding of the adverse impacts of cancer and cancer-related treatments on brain development, functional outcomes, and quality of life. Processing efficiency (PE) impairment, or weaknesses in working memory (WM) and processing speed (PS) abilities, is a frequently observed cognitive late effect among survivors of both primary central nervous system (CNS) cancers and cancers of non-CNS origin. The current study expands prior research on the relationships between risk factors for cognitive late effects and PE outcomes and offers the first exploration of the relationships between PE performance and other cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes.

Participants and Methods:

Retrospective data collected from comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations conducted as part of clinical care were analyzed for 160 pediatric cancer survivors (CNS n=33; non-CNS n=127). A series of structural equation models (SEM) were utilized to explore the relationships between PE skills, risks factors for cognitive late effects (tumor type, biological sex, age at diagnosis, time since treatment, and socioeconomic status), and long-term outcomes including other cognitive skills, academic skills, and parent report of behavior, mood and executive functioning (EF).

Results:

SEM analysis confirmed that PE emerged as a latent construct with significant loadings of WM and PS (β’s .36-.94, p’s < .01) across all models. Primary CNS tumor (β = -0.32, p < .001) and male sex (β = 0.36, p < .001) were the only risk factors predicting lower performance on PE. Higher PE predicted better performance on latent factors underlying other cognitive measures (β = .95, p < .001) and global academic skills (β = .85, p < .001). PE was unrelated to parent reports of behavior, mood, and EF. A final integrated model illustrated the unique role of PE skills in predicting cognitive and academic outcomes.

Conclusions:

PE emerged as a distinct neurocognitive construct reflecting WM and PS skills in this population. Survivors with history of primary CNS tumors and male sex were at greatest risk for PE impairment. Those with greater PE skills performed better on other cognitive and academic tasks, but PE skills were unrelated to parent report of mood and behavior at home. Altogether, findings support the key role of processing efficiency skills in the well-documented difficulties in thinking and learning that emerge, sometimes years after treatment, in pediatric cancer survivors. Utilizing a standard approach for assessing and communicating processing efficiency skills, both within routine clinical practice and outcomes research, may hold significant translational impacts for pediatric cancer survivors.