Current investigation of neurocognitive functioning in preschool children with cancer: A cross-sectional study from western China

by Zefang Chen, Lifang Xu, Lin Mo

Background and aims

Cancer and its treatments may cause neurocognitive impairments in preschool children, but there is limited research on the neurocognitive outcomes of this population. This study, which assessed the neurocognitive function of preschool children with cancer and analyzed various influencing factors of neurocognitive functioning, is of significant importance. We aimed to investigate neurocognitive function and related risk factors in preschool children with cancer to inform preventive and intervention strategies.

Methods

From September 2023 to May 2024, we recruited 100 preschool children with cancer. The Chinese version of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale Chinese Version, and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children were used to collected data. Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of neurocognitive function in preschool children with cancer.

Results

49% of the preschool children with cancer had abnormalities in at least one neurocognitive dimension. The majority of children had abnormalities in gross motor dimension, accounting for 30%, which was related to age and frequency of participation in neurocognitive activities. Communication dimension was related to father’s education level, dietary habit, and frequency of participation in activities. Fine motor dimension was associated with age, sex, and father’s education level. Problem-solving dimension was associated with age and dietary habit. Personal-social dimension was related to age and radiotherapy.

Conclusions

Nearly half of preschool children with cancer experienced neurocognitive impairment. The Chinese version of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires is a simple and effective tool for screening children with possible neurocognitive impairment. It was found that children’s neurocognitive function was significantly influenced by family environment, dietary habit, cognitive activities, and cancer treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen family and social support, and to formulate personalized intervention such as cognitive therapy and dietary adjustment based on children’s age and family background, which are important for promoting neurocognitive recovery.