Problems of childhood or adolescence cancer survivors in adulthood

Extract

• Currently, approximately 1–2‰ of young adults have been treated for cancer in their childhood. Only one in three of these will not develop any long-term sequelae related to the disease or its treatment.
• Modern radiotherapy, when targeted well, decreases long-term effects in the future. There will be, however, patients with extensive damage in follow-up for a long time.
• As follow-up by the treating unit ends, a treatment summary should be produced for the young patient and an estimate made of the need for late follow-up in adulthood.
• Late follow-up in adulthood should be based on individual risk assessment (table International risk classification of late sequelae of cancer treatment received during the period of growth1). Early identification of some late sequelae may improve health and quality of life. The aim of late follow-up in adulthood is to screen for such sequelae.
• Find out about local organization and coordination of late monitoring, as well as about relevant age limits. Primary care may have a central role in the implementation of late monitoring.
  • In Finland, for example, each university hospital has a team responsible for coordinating late monitoring in adulthood in its area. The patients are monitored by the late monitoring clinic in general until the age of 40.

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Anthracyclines, Bleomycin, Cancer, Child, Cisplatin, Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, I42.7#, J70.1, Metabolic Syndrome X, Neoplastic diseases, Paediatrics, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Radiation Injuries, Radiotherapy, Soft Tissue Injuries, T66, T88.7#, Z58.4, Z92.3, antineoplastic agent treatment, bone injury, cancer patient, cancer recovery, cancer sequela, cancer, secondary, central nervous system injury, child with cancer, heart injury, lung injury, lung irradiation, ovarian injury, teratogenicity