Evaluation of the functional capacity and quality of life of children and adolescents during and after cancer treatment

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.