Browsing by Author "Armstrong, Gregory T."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Clinical and Genetic Risk Factors for Radiation-Associated Ototoxicity: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort
    (Wiley, 2021) Trendowski, Matthew R.; Baedke, Jessica L.; Sapkota, Yadav; Travis, Lois B.; Zhang, Xindi; El Charif, Omar; Wheeler, Heather E.; Leisenring, Wendy M.; Robison, Leslie L.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Morton, Lindsay M.; Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Howell, Rebecca M.; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Bhatia, Smita; Dolan, M. Eileen; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Background: Cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is associated with ototoxicity, which manifests as hearing loss and tinnitus. The authors sought to identify clinical determinants and genetic risk factors for ototoxicity among adult survivors of pediatric cancer treated with CRT. Methods: Logistic regression evaluated associations of tinnitus (n = 1991) and hearing loss (n = 2198) with nongenetic risk factors and comorbidities among CRT-treated survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of CRT-related tinnitus and hearing loss were also performed. Results: Males were more likely to report CRT-related tinnitus (9.4% vs 5.4%; P = 5.1 × 10-4 ) and hearing loss (14.0% vs 10.7%; P = .02) than females. Survivors with tinnitus or hearing loss were more likely to experience persistent dizziness or vertigo (tinnitus: P < 2 × 10-16 ; hearing loss: P = 6.4 × 10-9 ), take antidepressants (tinnitus: P = .02; hearing loss: P = .01), and report poorer overall health (tinnitus: P = 1.5 × 10-6 ; hearing loss: P = 1.7 × 10-6 ) in comparison with controls. GWAS of CRT-related tinnitus revealed a genome-wide significant signal in chromosome 1 led by rs203248 (P = 1.5 × 10-9 ), whereas GWAS of CRT-related hearing loss identified rs332013 (P = 5.8 × 10-7 ) in chromosome 8 and rs67522722 (P = 7.8 × 10-7 ) in chromosome 6 as nearly genome-wide significant. A replication analysis identified rs67522722, intronic to ATXN1, as being significantly associated with CRT-related hearing loss (P = .03) and de novo hearing loss (P = 3.6 × 10-4 ). Conclusions: CRT-associated ototoxicity was associated with sex, several neuro-otological symptoms, increased antidepressant use, and poorer self-reported health. GWAS of CRT-related hearing loss identified rs67522722, which was supported in an independent cohort of survivors. Lay summary: Hearing loss and subjective tinnitus (the perception of noise or ringing in the ear) are long-term side effects of cancer treatment and are common in children treated with radiation to the brain. These toxicities can affect childhood development and potentially contribute to serious learning and behavioral difficulties. This study's data indicate that males are at greater risk for hearing loss and tinnitus than females after radiation therapy to the brain. Those who develop these toxicities are more likely to use antidepressants and report poorer overall health. Health care providers can improve the management of survivors by informing patients and/or their parents of these risks.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders in Survivors of Childhood Cancers and Health-Related Quality of Life and Physical Activity
    (Oxford, 2019-11) Pradhan, Kamnesh R.; Chen, Yan; Moustoufi-Moab, Sogol; Krull, Kevin; Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Sklar, Charles; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Ness, Kirsten K.; Robison, Leslie; Yasui, Yutaka; Nathan, Paul C.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Context Childhood cancer survivors experience chronic health conditions that impact health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and participation in optimal physical activity. Objective The study aimed to determine independent effects of endocrine and metabolic disorders on HRQOL and physical activity. Design, Setting, and Patients Retrospective cohort with longitudinal follow-up of survivors of childhood cancer enrolled in the North American Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Main Outcome Measures Medical Outcomes Short Form-36 estimated HRQOL, and participation in physical activity was dichotomized as meeting or not meeting recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Log binomial regression evaluated the association of each endocrine/metabolic disorder with HRQOL scales and physical activity. Results Of 7287 survivors, with a median age of 32 years (range, 18 to 54 years) at their last follow-up survey, 4884 (67%) reported one or more endocrine/metabolic disorders. Survivors with either disorder were significantly more likely to be male, older, have received radiation treatment, and have experienced other chronic health conditions. After controlling for covariates, survivors with any endocrine/metabolic disorder were more likely to report poor physical function risk ratio (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.48), increased bodily pain (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.44), poor general health (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.68), and lower vitality (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.34) compared with survivors without. The likelihood of meeting recommended physical activity was lower among survivors with growth disorders (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.97), osteoporosis (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.99), and overweight/obesity (RR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.88 to 0.96). Conclusion Endocrine and metabolic disorders are independently associated with poor HRQOL and suboptimal physical activity among childhood cancer survivors.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Insurance, chronic health conditions, and utilization of primary and specialty outpatient services: a Childhood Cancer Survivor Study report
    (Springer, 2018-10) Mueller, Emily L.; Park, Elyse R.; Kirchhoff, Anne C.; Kuhlthau, Karen; Nathan, Paul C.; Perez, Giselle; Rabin, Julia; Hutchinson, Raymond; Oeffinger, Kevin C.; Robison, Leslie L.; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Leisenring, Wendy M.; Donelan, Karen; Medicine, School of Medicine
    PURPOSE: Survivors of childhood cancer require life-long outpatient healthcare, which may be impacted by health insurance. This study sought to understand survivors' utilization of outpatient healthcare provider services. METHODS: The study examined cross-sectional survey data using an age-stratified sample from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study of self-reported annual use of outpatient services. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with utilization of services. RESULTS: Six hundred ninety-eight survivors were surveyed, median age 36.3 years (range 22.2-62.6), median time from diagnosis 28.8 years (range 23.1-41.7). Almost all (93%) of survivors had at least one outpatient visit during the previous year; 81.3% of these visits were with a primary care providers (PCP), 54.5% were with specialty care physicians, 30.3% were with nurse practitioner/physician's assistants (NP/PA), and 14.2% were with survivorship clinic providers. Survivors with severe to life-threatening chronic health conditions had greater odds of utilizing a specialty care physician (OR = 5.15, 95% CI 2.89-9.17) or a survivorship clinic (OR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.18-7.26) than those with no chronic health conditions. Having health insurance increased the likelihood of seeking care from NP/PA (private, OR = 2.76, 95% CI 1.37-5.58; public, OR = 2.09, 95% CI 0.85-5.11), PCP (private, OR = 7.82, 95% CI 3.80-13.10; public, OR = 7.24, 95% CI 2.75-19.05), and specialty care (private, OR = 2.96, 95% CI 1.48-5.94; public, OR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.26-6.84) compared to without insurance. CONCLUSION: Most childhood cancer survivors received outpatient care from a PCP, but a minority received care from a survivorship clinic provider. Having health insurance increased the likelihood of outpatient care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Targeted interventions in the primary care setting may improve risk-based, survivor-focused care for this vulnerable population.