Intellectual functions of cancer patients treated by triple intrathecal therapy

Adverse intellectual effects have been noted in survivors of childhood lymphoblastic leukemia as a result of prophylactic radiation to the central nervous system. Triple intrathecal therapy [IT] was used as an effective and safe alternative to radiotherapy. In this study 16 children with cancer who received triple intrathecal therapy were tested. A group of 16 normal children matched for age, sex, socioeconomic,. and educational background served as controls. The tests administered were as follows : Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised [Wisc-R], Kauffman achievement test [K-ABC] and Binet figure for the Stanford-Binet Scale. No significant differences were noted between the two groups in any of the tests