Validation of the GMFM-88 Scale and of the FAAP-O Scale in Pediatric Patients Affected by Cancer
Condition: Oncology
MeSH terms: Neoplasms
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The primary objective of this study is to validate the Gross Motor Function Measure Scale-88
      (GMFM-88) on the Italian pediatric cancer population. The secondary objective is to implement
      the use of the GMFM-88 in clinical practice by validating a reduced panel of items that will
      be called the Functional Ability Assessment in Pediatric Oncology (FAAP-O) Scale.
    

Detailed description: 
      In recent decades, improvements in the treatment of pediatric cancer patients have resulted
      in increased survival rates. Consequentially, clinicians now pay more attention to the
      quality of life of these patients, both during and after treatment. Functional abilities have
      an important role in the quality of life and these skills can be compromised by the tumor
      itself or by anti-neoplastic treatments. A recent Cochrane review regarding rehabilitation
      and motor activity in this population has documented the effectiveness of exercise in
      children with cancer. Furthermore, to improve the rehabilitation care of pediatric cancer
      patients it is important to broaden the research by structuring multi-center trials, which
      allow the collection of longitudinal data. Objective, repeatable, specific, and sensitive
      rehabilitation assessment tools are needed, to define the functional status of the patient
      and to measure the motor outcomes. The psychometric properties of a measurement are closely
      linked to the specific population in which the measurement is used. Currently, there are two
      validated assessment tools for children/adolescents with cancer used to evaluate functional
      abilities: The Gross Motor Function Scale-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (GMFM-ALL) and the
      Motor Performance in Pediatric Oncology (MOON). The ladder has the merit of being structured
      to evaluate the motor skills of children/adolescents affected by various forms of cancer but
      it also presents some limits. This test does not investigate functional abilities in a
      rehabilitation optic and it requires the use of specific materials that can reduce its
      usability in multicenter trials. The GMFM-ALL scale is a modified version of the Gross Motor
      Function Measure 88 (GMFM-88) Scale. This scale is specific only for children/adolescents
      with Lymphoblastic Leukemia and it mainly evaluates motor skills that require a high
      functional level (i.e. jumps, running), possessed neither by younger children nor by those
      who show major physical impairments or during specific phases of cancer treatment, such as
      palliative care.

      The GMFM-88 scale is a rehabilitation assessment tool that was originally created to
      investigate functional abilities in children affected by cerebral palsy (CP) and has
      subsequently been validated for other populations of pediatric patients. It was also used to
      evaluate functional abilities in some studies conducted on pediatric cancer patients. Some
      aspects make this tool easily applicable in multicenter studies: it does not require any
      material to be administered nor a specific certified training to use it and, lastly, it
      comprises all principal motor skills including the basic ones (i.e. lying and rolling on the
      ground).
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Other
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Children and adolescents affected by cancer referred to the rehabilitation services of the
        participants centres.
      
Keywords: Physiotherapy; Rehabilitation; Functional abilities evaluation; motor function evaluation