Abstract #0630

In utero exposure to chemotherapy affects cortical neurodevelopment

Jeroen Blommaert¹, Ahmed Radwan², Charlotte Sleurs¹, Ron Peeters^2,3, Stefan Sunaert^2,3, Tineke Vandenbroucke¹, Gwen Schroyen², Kristel Van Calsteren^4,5, Sabine Deprez², and Frédéric Amant^1,6,7,8

¹Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ²Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ³Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ⁴Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ⁵Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, ⁶Gynaecologic Oncology, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Amsterdam, Netherlands, ⁷Gynaecologic Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands, ⁸Gynaecologic Oncology, Amsterdam university medical centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands

One in every 1000-2000 pregnancies is complicated by maternal cancer, for which chemotherapy is increasingly administered during pregnancy. However, only limited knowledge exists on the long-term impact of in utero exposure to cancer therapy. This study investigated the impact of prenatal exposure to chemotherapy, at the age of nine, on cortical development using surface-based morphometry. We found cortical thickness to be significantly lower in the superior part of the left pre-central sulcus of the prenatal-exposed children, compared to controls, whereas the gyrification index was significantly higher in the left post-central sulcus of this group, possibly impacting attentional development.

This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.

Join Here