NEUROCOGNITIVE AND CEREBRAL DEVELOPMENT OF LONG-TERM SURVIVORS OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in children. Because of the administration of cranial radiation and chemotherapy, survival rate is excellent. However, ALL treatments can cause different long-term side effects, which can affect quality of life in survivors. This review of the literature describes the long-term effects of ALL treatments on cognitive functioning and cerebral structures. White and grey matter damages, frequent cognitive deficits, their relation with treatment agents as well as mechanisms explaining their gradual apparition are discussed.