# NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 1989 · $242,623

## Abstract

The goals of this project are to identify and monitor the effects
of cancer and its treatment on the neuropsychological development
of children.  A large cohort of children with leukemia and solid
tumors have been followed through three years of treatment to
assess the effects of central nervous system (CNS) treatment on
children ' with leukemia.  However, patients were followed for a
relatively brief period, and brain tumor patients were excluded
from the investigation.  In contrast to children with tumors
outside the CNS and whose disease and treatment are usually less
1 intensive, children with brain tumors show a high incidence of
neuropsychological impairment severe enough to interfere with their
attainment of long-term educational and occupational goals.

The aims of this prospective study are to 1) extend our knowledge
of longitudinal change in participants in the current prospective
study to periods of 6-8 years post-diagnosis; 2) examine changes
in neuropsychological performance of children with brain tumors
across a three-year period beginning at diagnosis; 3) compare
changes in performance of children with brain tumors with those of
other cancer patients; and 4) identify characteristics of patients.
diseases, and treatments that will contribute to the interpretation
of neuropsychological findings.  This study will extend the time
line of the current study as well as generate a cross-validation
sample of brain tumor and other types of cancer patients from whom
comparable data will be obtained.  To achieve the first objective,
100 surviving participants in the currently funded study will be
followed for an additional three years to assess change over long-
term post-therapy follow-up.  To achieve Objectives 2 and 3,
studies of 120 brain tumor patients and 120 other cancer patients
will be conducted using a repeated measures design.  Patterns of
decline and growth will be assessed using a hierarchical linear
modeling approach.  All groups will be included in the analyses of
Objective 4.  To meet sample requirements for Objectives 2 and 3
and to enhance generalizability of findings, The University of
Texas H. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Georgia State
University/Emory have agreed to collaborate.

Achievement of these aims will enhance our ability to identify risk
factors associated with specific processing deficits among
pediatric cancer patients and assess their implications for school
achievements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3171033
- **Project number:** 2R01CA033097-07A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **SAM.gov UEI:** S3GMKS8ELA16
- **Principal Investigator:** DONNA R COPELAND
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $242,623
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1983-02-01 → 1994-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3171033

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3171033, NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER (2R01CA033097-07A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3171033. Licensed CC0.

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