Many survivors of childhood cancer experience cognitive problems as a result of their treatment. The drug methylphenidate (marketed under several names, the best known of which is Ritalin) has previously been shown to help attention problems in such survivors in the short term. Now a new study demonstrates that it can also be of benefit in the long term.

The study tested attention, social skills and behavior in survivors who had been on the drug for a year, comparing them to a similar group of unmedicated survivors. Although the drug did not lead to a significant gain in measured academic skills in math, reading and spelling, many did show improvements to attention that put them back in the normal range.

Nevertheless, the results also emphasize the need for other approaches, given that many did not benefit from the drug, and some may not be good candidates for medical or other reasons. The treatment group included 35 survivors of brain tumors and 33 of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Any who suffered from ADHD before their cancer were excluded from the study.