Language outcomes in children who underwent surgery for the removal of a posterior fossa tumor: A systematic review.

Children Language assessment Language impairment Posterior fossa tumor Risk factor Systematic review

Journal

European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society
ISSN: 1532-2130
Titre abrégé: Eur J Paediatr Neurol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9715169

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
23 Dec 2023
Historique:
received: 26 06 2023
revised: 22 11 2023
accepted: 19 12 2023
medline: 20 2 2024
pubmed: 20 2 2024
entrez: 20 2 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Children who underwent posterior fossa tumor removal may have spoken or written language impairments. The present systematic review synthesized the literature regarding the language outcomes in this population. Benefits of this work were the identification of shortcomings in the literature and a starting point toward formulating guidelines for postoperative language assessment. A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying studies with patients who had posterior fossa surgery before 18 years of age. Included studies were narratively synthesized to understand language outcomes by language function (e.g., phonology, morphosyntax) at a group and individual level. Furthermore, the influence of several mediators (e.g., postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS), tumor type) was investigated. A critical evaluation of the language assessment tools was conducted. The narrative synthesis of 66 studies showed that a broad spectrum of language impairments has been described, characterized by a large interindividual heterogeneity. Patients younger at diagnosis, receiving treatment for a high-grade tumor and/or radiotherapy and diagnosed with pCMS seemed more prone to impairment. Several gaps in language assessment remain, such as a baseline preoperative assessment and the assessment of pragmatics and morphosyntax. Further, there were important methodological differences in existing studies which complicated our ability to accurately guide clinical practice. Children who had posterior fossa surgery seem to be at risk for postoperative language impairment. These results stress the need for language follow-up in posterior fossa tumor survivors.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Children who underwent posterior fossa tumor removal may have spoken or written language impairments. The present systematic review synthesized the literature regarding the language outcomes in this population. Benefits of this work were the identification of shortcomings in the literature and a starting point toward formulating guidelines for postoperative language assessment.
METHODS METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying studies with patients who had posterior fossa surgery before 18 years of age. Included studies were narratively synthesized to understand language outcomes by language function (e.g., phonology, morphosyntax) at a group and individual level. Furthermore, the influence of several mediators (e.g., postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS), tumor type) was investigated. A critical evaluation of the language assessment tools was conducted.
RESULTS RESULTS
The narrative synthesis of 66 studies showed that a broad spectrum of language impairments has been described, characterized by a large interindividual heterogeneity. Patients younger at diagnosis, receiving treatment for a high-grade tumor and/or radiotherapy and diagnosed with pCMS seemed more prone to impairment. Several gaps in language assessment remain, such as a baseline preoperative assessment and the assessment of pragmatics and morphosyntax. Further, there were important methodological differences in existing studies which complicated our ability to accurately guide clinical practice.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Children who had posterior fossa surgery seem to be at risk for postoperative language impairment. These results stress the need for language follow-up in posterior fossa tumor survivors.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2023.12.005 PMID: 38377646
pubmed: 38377646
pii: S1090-3798(23)00189-7
doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2023.12.005
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article Review

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

129-141

Informations de copyright

© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Paediatric Neurology Society.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicting interests declare.

Auteurs

Cheyenne Svaldi (C)

Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, PO box 716, 9700 AS, Groningen, the Netherlands; School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, University Avenue, NSW, 2109, Australia; International Doctorate for Experimental Approaches to Language and Brain (IDEALAB); Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: c.g.h.svaldi@rug.nl.

Effy Ntemou (E)

Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, PO box 716, 9700 AS, Groningen, the Netherlands; International Doctorate for Experimental Approaches to Language and Brain (IDEALAB); Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Linguistics Department, University of Potsdam, Haus 14, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany. Electronic address: e.ntemou@rug.nl.

Roel Jonkers (R)

Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, PO box 716, 9700 AS, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: r.jonkers@rug.nl.

Saskia Kohnen (S)

School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, University Avenue, NSW, 2109, Australia. Electronic address: saskia.kohnen@mq.edu.au.

Vânia de Aguiar (V)

Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, PO box 716, 9700 AS, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: vania.de.aguiar@rug.nl.

Classifications MeSH