Evaluation of the functional capacity and quality of life of children and adolescents during and after cancer treatment
Bruna Juliana Brentano Kuhn, Luciane Dalcanale Moussalle, Janice Luísa Lukrafka, Giana Berleze Penna, Abelardo de Oliveira Soares
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional capacity and quality of life of children and adolescents during cancer treatment and post-treatment. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of patients during cancer treatment and post-treatment, assessed by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the Pediatric Quality of Life ™ questionnaire (cancer module). RESULTS: Sixty-five patients, aged 11.2±3.5 years, mostly males (50.8%) and white (90.8%), with high incidence of hematological cancers (81.5%) participated in the study. The performance in the 6MWT was 23.1% inferior comparing the mean predicted and achieved (584.3±5 and 447.7±78.6 m, respectively). The percentage difference between the predicted and achieved 6MWT, and the different phases of cancer treatment were significantly different between patients in treatment (73.7±12.8) and post-treatment (84.5±9.1). When grouped by the different diagnoses, it was possible to observe that the distance covered by the patients with leukemia showed results closer to that predicted (80.7±11.7). Regarding the health-related quality of life questionnaire (HRQL), the child's perception (78.0±14.56) was better than that reported by their parents (72.4±17.74). However, when we compared HRQL with the 6MWT, there was no association between them (p=0.597). CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment or post-treatment showed a 23% deficit in functional capacity. In relation to HRQL results, children's perception was higher than that of their parents.