OBJECTIVES:
* Compare neurobehavioral functioning, specifically memory, attention, executive function, visual-motor integration, and processing speed, in children previously treated with steroids (prednisone vs dexamethasone) and intrathecal therapy (methotrexate alone vs methotrexate, cytarabine, and hydrocortisone) for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
* Correlate non-treatment risk factors, such as gender, age at diagnosis, and time since termination of prior therapy, with impaired neurobehavioral function in these patients.
* Correlate neurobehavioral complications with quality-of-life of these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, cohort study. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 cohorts (prior treatment per CCG-1922 \[prednisone vs dexamethasone\] vs prior treatment per CCG-1952 \[intrathecal (IT) methotrexate vs IT methotrexate, cytarabine, and hydrocortisone\]). Patients in each cohort are stratified according to age at diagnosis, gender, and time since prior treatment termination.
* Cohort A (CCG-1922): Patients undergo physical and neurological examination, neurobehavioral evaluation, and quality of life assessment. Neurobehavioral evaluations assess memory, attention, and executive function.
* Cohort B (CCG-1952): Patients undergo evaluation as above. Neurobehavioral evaluations assess visual-motor integration and processing speed.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 448 patients (224 per cohort) will be accrued for this study within 4 years.
