Advances in cancer treatments have increased the life span of children and adults with various cancer diagnoses; however, such treatments often result in a variety of negative side-effects. The purpose of this meeting was to bring together clinicians and investigators to advance knowledge on treatment and research in an effort to improve overall functioning and quality of life for those adults and children treated for cancer. Radiation therapy (RT) was the focus of the meeting, but the damaging or protective effects of other treatments for RT were also discussed. Lecturers represented the disciplines of radiation oncology, neuro-oncology, neuropsychology, and clinical psychology. The conference was composed of nine sessions addressing important interest areas for both adult and pediatric research and clinical care of patients.
Our general goals were to focus on measurement and theoretical issues. International researchers and clinicians were assembled based on their engagement in research on RT neurobehavioral toxicity, so as to benefit from each other's work. Researchers who study pediatric populations were convened with those who study adult populations in order to place knowledge of RT effects in a developmental context.