Overview
- The St. Jude cohort of 145 children treated with radiation for ependymoma showed a 34% rate of severe hearing loss in either ear.
- Children with severe hearing loss exhibited lower intellectual ability and communication skills with greater decline over time, while verbal learning and memory remained stable.
- Researchers documented high ototoxicity and related cognitive decline even in patients who received radiation without chemotherapy.
- Severe hearing loss correlated with hydrocephalus, multiple surgeries, chemotherapy before radiation, and younger age, with no links to sex, race, or socio-economic status.
- The authors point to precision radiation such as proton therapy, potential otoprotective medications, and increased use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and targeted academic supports as actionable steps.