Because of significant advances in treatment, 77% of children
and young people treated for cancer survive five years or more, an
increase of almost 45% since the early 1960's. With childhood
cancer survivors living longer, their long-term health has come
more into focus in recent years. Researchers have learned that the
effects of childhood cancer treatment may affect a survivor's
health many years later. This result becomes known as a "late
effect."
Just as the treatment of childhood cancer requires a very
specialised approach, so does aftercare and monitoring for late
effects. Careful follow-up after cancer treatment allows for early
identification of and attention to the after-effects of
treatment.
What causes late effects?
Late effects are caused by the injury that cancer treatment
causes to the healthy cells in the body. They may occur as a result
of surgery, radiation therapy, some chemotherapy medications, or
bone marrow transplantation.
Lack of cell nourishment, chronic cell injury, death of healthy
cells, and scar tissue formation may all contribute to late
effects.
Who is at risk of late effects?
Each child/young person receiving cancer therapy is unique, with
treatment varying from person to person, cancer to cancer. Late
effects will also vary, and depend largely on the type of therapy
received and the doses of that therapy. The very young child may be
at the greatest risk.
The majority of late effects result from chemotherapy or
radiation. Extensive surgery may also lead to late effects, but
this is less common.
If late effects arise, the current doctors want to and
need to see complete medical records.
At times, I go in for a checkup with a head full of
questions about late-effects and come out no better informed. There
seems to be so little conclusive research about what is going to
happen to us.
Rachel