Visual-motor function disorders in children who survived acute lymphoblastic leukemia and central nervous system tumors

   Background. Cancer and its treatment result in late effects of therapy. Some of them reduce the children quality of life and may affect their academic performance at school. One of such disorders, which 70–90 % of children who have survived cancer complain about, is visual‑motor dysfunctions.

   Aim. To assess visual‑motor functions among children who have survived cancer.

   Materials and methods. The study was conducted between September 2023 and September 2024. The study involved 105 children: 39 children who survived central nervous system tumors (23 (60 %) children with medulloblastoma and 16 (40 %) children with astrocytoma); 31 who survived acute lymphoblastic leukemia; 35 patients in the control group of healthy children. The average age of children was 12.2 (7–17) years.

   Results. A statistically significant decrease in scores of visual‑motor functions, compared with the control group, was found in children who had survived central nervous system tumors (p < 0.01) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (p < 0.01). In addition, the higher the score on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v.4.3 toxicity scale,
the lower the scores of visual‑motor functions (p < 0.01). In all study groups of children there was an increase in scores with age (p < 0.01) – the older the child, the higher the scores.

   Conclusion. Statistically significant impairments of visual‑motor functions were revealed in children who survived central nervous system tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. These declines can later have a negative impact on learning, so they require additional rehabilitation measures aimed at restoring visual‑motor functions.

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